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THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 


GOTHIC   CH.1PEL 


AN 


HISTORICAL  AND  DESCRIPTIVE  NARRATIVE 


MAMMOTH  CAVE  OF  KENTUCKY. 

INCLUDING 

EXPLANATIONS  OF  THE  CAUSES  CONCERNED  IN  ITS  FOR- 
MATION, ITS  ATMOSPHERIC  CONDITIONS,  ITS 
CHEMISTRY,  GEOLOGY,  ZOOLOGY,  ETC. 


FULL  SCIENTIFIC  DETAILS  OF  THE  EYELESS  FISHES. 


BY 

W.'  STUMP   FOKWOOD,  M.D., 

MEMBER  or   TDE   AMERICAN   MEDICAL   ASSOCIATIOX,   OF  THE   MEDICAL   AND   CHIRURGICAL 
FACULTY   OF   MARYLAND,   ETC. 


WITH     ILLUSTRAT  IONS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    &    CO. 
1870.    ,, 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    &    CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


Im  fflork 


RESPECTFULLY     INSCRIBED 

TO 

ONE    OF    THE     COMPANIONS     OF    OUR     JOURNEY, 

AND   A   LIBERAL   PATRON   OF   LITERATURE, 

BY   HIS    FRIEND, 

THE  AUTHOR. 

PmiADElPHlA,  April,  1870. 


1* 


COI^TEI^TS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAGE 

Introduction 13 

CHAPTER   II. 
The  Cave 19 

CHAPTER    III. 

Location  of  the  Cave. — Means  of  Approach,  and  Character 
of  the  Surrounding  Country. — The  Indian  Cave. — Mam- 
moth Cave  Hotel,  etc 29 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Atmosphere  of  the  Cave 43 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Formation  of  the  Cave,  and  its  Connection  vsrith  Green 
River 48 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  LONG  ROUTE. 

The  Entrance. — The  Rotunda. — The  Vats  and  Water-pipes 
used  by  the  Saltpetre  Miners. — The  Methodist  Church. 
— The  Giant's  CofiBn. — The  Bottomless  Pit. — Fat  Man's 
Misery.  —  Bacon   Chamber.  —  River   Styx,   and   Lake 

Lethe 55 

(vii) 


VIU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    YI I. 

V  PAGE 

Echo  River 77 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

The  Eyeless  Fishes  of  the  Cave 84 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Silliman's  Avenue. — Rhoda's  Arcade. — Lucy's   Dome,  and 
Pass  of  El  Ghor 103 

CHAPTER   X. 

Martha's  Vineyard.  —  Elindo  Avenue.  —  The  Holy  Sepul- 
chre.— Washington  Hall 110 

CHAPTER    XL 

Cleveland's  Cabinet,  and  the  Rocky  Mountain     .         .        .     117 

CHAPTER  XXL 
The  Maelstrom. — A  Perilous  Adventure     ....     129 

CHAPTER   XIIL 
The  Rats,  Insects,  etc.  of  the  Cave 136 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
Homeward  Bound 141 

CHAPTER    XV. 

THE   SHORT    ROUTE. 

Grorin's  Dome. — Pensacola  Avenue. — Sparks'  Avenue,  and 
Mammoth  Dome. — Roaring  River. — Marion's  Avenue, 
and  the  Star  Chamber 144 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

PAGE 

Proctor's  Arcade. — Kinney's  Arena. — Wright's  Rotunda. 
— Fairy  Grotto. — The  Chief  City,  and  Great  Crossings  .     160 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

Of  Ancient  Mummies  found  in  the  Cave      .         ^        .        .     170 

CHAPTER   XVIIL 

Instances  of  Persons  becoming  Lost  in  the  Cave. — The 
Proper  Course  to  pursue  in  such  Cases  ....     195 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

GOTHIC   ARCADE. 

The  Register  Room.  —  Gothic  Chapel.-^Romantic  Mar- 
riage. —  How  the  Stalactites  and  Stalagmites  are 
tormed. — Bonaparte's  Breastworks. — The  Devil's  Arm- 
Chair. — Elephant's  Head. — Lover's  Leap. — Gatewood's 
Dining-Table. — Napoleon's  Dome. — Lake  Purity. — Re- 
turn to  Daylight 200 

CHAPTER   XX. 
Sanitary  Influences  of  the  Cave 209 

CHAPTER   XXL 
Parting  Reflections 213 

APPENDIX. 

Diamond  Cave 217 

Proctor's  Cave 222 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTEATIONS. 


1.  Gothic  Cbapel        .....  {Frontispiece) 

2.  Eotrance  to  Long  Route 64 

3.  Deserted  Chamber 65 

4.  Bottomless  Pit  and  Bridge  of  Sighs      ....  67 

5.  View  from  Bridge  of  Sighs C8 

6.  Scotchman's  Trap  ........  69 

7.  Bacon  Chamber     . .71 

8.  Grape  Clusters  in  Martha's  Vineyard   ....  110 

9.  Rosa's  Bower 125 

ID.  Angelico's  Grotto 149 

11.  The  Altar,  in  Gothic  Arcade 2u2 

12.  Devil's  Arm-Chair 205 


(xi) 


LIST   OF  ILLUSTEATIONS. 


1.  Gothic  Chapel        .....  [Frontispiece) 

2.  Entrance  to  Long  Route       ......  64 

.3.  Deserted  Chamber 65 

4.  Bottomless  Pit  and  Bridge  of  Sighs      ....  67 

5.  View  from  Bridge  of  Sighs 68 

6.  Scotchman's  Trap 69 

7.  Bacon  Chamber     . .71 

8.  Grape  Clusters  in  Martha's  Vineyard   ....  110 

9.  Rosa's  Bower 125 

lU.  Angelico's  Grotto 149 

11.  The  Altar,  in  Gothic  Arcade 2U2 

12.  Devil's  Arm-Chair 205 


(xi) 


THE  MAMMOTH  CAVE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

It  is  our  purpose  to  describe,  from  our  own 
observations  made  in  the  spring  of  1867,  and 
from  the  observations  of  others,  that  grand  and 
weird  cavern  known  as  the  Mammoth  Cave  of 
Kentucky, — a  wonder  of  its  kind,  unequaled  in 
America  or  in  the  world, — within  whose  sub- 
lime portals  travelers  have  confessed  the  most 
profound  awe  at  entrance,  and  the  greatest  rap- 
ture when  its  glorious  mysteries  were  made  visi- 
ble to  them. 

We  did  not  make  the  visit  with  the  view  of 
informing  the  public  what  was  to  be  seen,  but 
simply  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  our  indi- 
vidual curiosity. 

Finding  the  object  to  be  one  of  greater  magni- 
tude than  was  anticipated,  it  occurred  to  us,  as  an 
after-thought,  that  a  short  sketch  might  interest 
a  friend  at  home.     In  executing  this  intention, 

2  (13) 


14  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

it  was  soon  discovered  that  a  surprisiqg  number 
of  pages  were  required  to  give  even  a  brief  in- 
telligible outline  of  the  great  cavern. 

It  was  then  suggested  that  the  sketch  which 
had  been  commenced  sliould  be  extended,  and 
published  in  book-form,  that  the  information  it 
contained  might  be  accessible  to  the  general 
public,  instead  of  being  restricted  to  one  or  two 
friends,  as  at  first  designed.  This  suggestion, 
though  not  consonant  with  our  feelings  when 
first  proposed,  has,  upon  reflection,  been  adopted. 

Desiring  to  obtain  some  profitable  information 
in  advance  of  our  visit  to  the  Cave,  we  applied 
successively  to  the  principal  booksellers  in  Bos- 
ton, New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and 
Cincinnati  for  the  purchase  of  a  descriptive 
work,  and  were  greatly  surprised  and  disap- 
pointed by  the  answer  in  each  case, — that  not 
one  of  them  had  any  publication  on  the  sub- 
ject, neither  had  they  any  knowledge  of  the 
existence  of  such  a  work.  This  deficiency  in 
the  book-market  appeared  to  us  extraordinary, 
for  it  is  presumable  that  all  persons  of  any 
education  in  this  country,  and  many  abroad, 
have  heard  of  the  existence  of  the  Cave,  and 
are  aware  that  it  is  a  curiosity  of  more  than 
ordinary  importance;   it  is  therefore  a  matter 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  15 

of  astonishment  that  no  general  account  of  it 
can  be  obtained  among  the  booksellers  by  those 
who  are  desirous  of  information  regarding  its 
wonders. 

Upon  arriving  at  the  Cave  we  found  a  small 
pamphlet  for  sale,  entitled  "A  Guide  Manual 
to  the  Mammoth  Cave  of  Kentucky.  By 
Charles  W.  Wright,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Chem- 
istry in  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine, 
formerly  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Medical 
College  of  Ohio."  Printed  at  Louisville,  Ky., 
by  Bradley  &  Gilbert,  1860. 

This  manual  explains  very  satisfactorily  the 
chemical  and  mechanical  causes  which  were 
exerted  in  the  formation  of  the  Cave,  and 
briefly  indicates  all  the  chief  points  of  interest 
which  should  attract  the  notice  of  the  visitor 
in  his  explorations,  and,  we  believe,  is  thor- 
oughly reliable  in  all  these  particulars.  Its 
circulation,  however,  is  limited  to  those  who 
visit  the  Cave,  rarely  coming  before  the  general 
reader ;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  majority  of 
visitors,  as  in  our  case,  have  no  opportunity  of 
examining  and  profiting  by  it  until  after  their 
departure,  and  tlien  it  is  generally  thrown  aside 
and  forgotten. 

Since  our  visit  we  have  made  every  effort  to 


16  THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

procure  all  that  has  been  written  on  the  subject, 
with  the  hope  of  thus  making  our  account  as 
complete  as  possible.  We  have,  therefore,  de- 
layed its  publication  for  nearly  three  years. 

We  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  four  short 
articles,  chiefly  scientific,  in  as  many  different 
numbers  of  Silliman's  "American  Journal  of 
Science  and  Arts,"  written  by  Professors  Lock, 
Agassiz,  Silliman,  and  Wyman, — the  first  dating 
back  as  far  as  1842 ;  also  a  rather  lengthy 
description  given  by  our  great  American  trav- 
eler. Bayard  Taylor,  who  charmingly  invests 
every  sketch  of  Nature's  works  touched  by  his 
pen  with  the  glowing  light  of  romance,  so 
appropriate  in  this  case. 

We  have  also  found  a  copy  of  a  manual 
called  "  Pictorial  Guide  to  the  Mammoth  Cave, 
Kentucky.  By  the  Rev.  Horace  Martin."  New 
York :  Stringer  &  Townsend,  1851 ;  with  ten 
illustrations,  pp.  (including  blanks  for  notes) 
116, — long  out  of  print.  A  brief  article  on 
the  Cave,  in  a  book  entitled  "  The  Hundred 
Wonders  of  the  World,"  has  recently  been 
brought  to  our  notice ;  also  an  article  in 
Collins's  "History  of  Kentucky"  (1847),  and 
a  few  pages  in  Dr.  Boucher's  work  on  the 
Universe,    etc.,    translated    from    the    French, 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE,  17 

1870.  The  pamphlet  of  Dr.  Binkerd  ("The 
Mammoth  Cave  and  its  Denizens :  A  Complete 
Descriptive  Guide.  By  A.  D.  Binkerd,  M.D." 
Cincinnati :  Robert  Clarke  &  Co.,  Printers, 
1869. — Pamphlet,  pp.  96)  has  appeared  since 
the  greater  part  of  the  present  work  has  been 
in  manuscript ;  and  in  completing  our  materials 
for  the  press  we  are  unable  to  derive  any  assist- 
ance from  the  work  of  Dr.  Binkerd. 

Several  newspaper  articles,  worthy  of  but 
little  attention,  have  also  come  under  our 
notice. 

At  the  eleventh  hour,  since  our  manuscript 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  printers,  we 
have  succeeded,  through  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
John  R.  Proctor,  of  Maysville,  Ky.,  in  procur- 
ing a  copy  of  a  work  entitled  "  Rambles  in  the 
Mammoth  Cave  during  the  Year  1841.  By  a 
Visitor."  Louisville,  Ky.:  Morton  &  Griswold, 
1845. 

This  list  comprises  all  the  works  on  the 
subject  that  we  have  any  knowledge  of,  with 
the  exception  of  one  by  Mr.  Lee,  Civil  En- 
gineer, published  about  the  year  1840,  said  to 
be  of  some  value,  but  the  most  diligent  search 
on  our  part  has  proved  unsuccessful  in  finding  a 

single  copy. 

2* 


18  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

In  preparing  this  history  of  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  we  make  as  much  use  as  possible  of  the 
materials  just  mentioned,  collating  their  agree- 
ments and  disagreements  with  our  own  obser- 
vations. We  are  chiefly  indebted,  however,  to 
the  valuable  Manual  of  Professor  Wright  for  all 
measurements  and  material  facts,  such  as  can 
be  acquired  only  by  a  protracted  series  of  obser- 
vations ;  and  we  trust  that  this  general  an- 
nouncement of  the  authorities  that  we  draw 
upon  will  serve  us  in  many  instances  instead  of 
quotation-marks. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE   CAVE. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  form,  at  the 
outset,  some  idea  of  the  general  outline  and 
physical  character  of  the  Mammoth  Cave,  we 
will  ask  him  to  imagine  the  channel  of  a  large 
and  winding  river,  with  tributaries  at  intervals, 
some  of  them  the  size  of  the  main  stream, 
emptying  into  the  chief  river,  like,  for  instance, 
the  Missouri  and  Ohio  joining  the  Mississippi; 
these  tributaries  also  receiving  their  support 
from  creeks,  branches,  and  rivulets,  some  of 
them  quite  small  and  extending  but  a  short 
distance,  while  others  are  much  larger,  longer, 
and  more  beautiful.  Now,  it  is  easy  to  imagine 
these  rivers  as  being  under  ground,  or  having 
a  surface-covering  of  earth  and  rock,  and  that 
their  rugged  channels  and  banks  have  ceased, 
from  some  cause,  to  be  bathed  with  the  waters 
which,  in  ages  long  past,  flowed  so  freely  along 
them;  in  fact,  that  they  are  perfectly  dry,  except 
in  a  few  of  the  avenues. 

(19) 


20  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

By  the  aid  of  this  illustration  it  may  also  be 
comprehended  why  so  much  travel'  is  neces- 
sary, as  will  be  presently  stated,  to  visit  the 
different  parts  of  the  Cave.  We  are  obliged  to 
follow  each  tributary  of  the  chief  river  to  its 
source,  and  to  return  by  the  same  route  to  its 
mouth,  at  the  point  of  our  departure;  thus 
duplicating  the  distances  of  all  the  rivers, 
creeks,  etc. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  obtain  informa- 
tion regarding  the  early  history  of  the  Cave, 
simply  from  the  fact  that  it  was  not  explored  to 
any  great  extent  for  several  years  after  its  dis- 
covery, and  that  the  early  explorers  did  not 
regard  it  as  a  curiosity  of  sufficient  importance 
to  call  for  the  publication  of  any  detailed  ac- 
count. It  has  been  stated  by  Bayard  Taylor,* 
and  others,  that  the  discovery  of  the  Cave 
dated  back  as  far  as  the  year  1802 ;  but  we  are 
fortunate  in  possessing  a  highly  interesting  and 
valuable  letter  from  Mr.  Frank  Gorin,  a  former- 
proprietor  of  the  Cave,  addressed  to  the  author 
some  months  after  his  visit,  and,  with  permis- 
sion, hereto  appended  in  full,  which  fixes  the 
^date  of  the  discovery  in  the  year  1809.     The 

*  At  Home  and  Abroad :  A  Sketch-Book  of  Life,  Sceneiy,  and 
Men.    By  Bayard  Taylor.  New  York,  G.  P.  Putnam  &  Son,  1867. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  21 

letter  contains  several  facts  that  will  liere 
anticipate  their  regular  order,  and  will  again 
be  adverted  to  : — 

"  Glasgow,  Ky.,  Feb.  9,  1868. 

"  W.  Stump  Forwood,  M.D 
"  Dear  Sir  : 

"  I  am  in  receipt  of  yours  of  the  27th  ultimo. 
You  desire  all  the  information  I  can  give  re- 
specting the  date  of  the  discovery,  the  early  his- 
tory, the  operations  of  the  saltpetre  miners,  etc. 
of  the  Mammoth  Cave. 

"This  part  of  Kentucky  was  peopled  and 
settled  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  and 
early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The 
Mammoth  Cave  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of 
Green  Eiver,  and  not  far  from  its  banks.  It 
was  discovered  in  the  year  1809,  by  a  man 
named  Houchins,  by  running  a  bear  into  it. 
The  entrance  was  small,  although  there  was  a 
large  ^sink'  at  the  mouth.  This  is  not  the 
original  mouth  or  entrance  :  the  original  mouth 
is  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  north,  or  north- 
west, from  the  present  entrance.  It  is  a  deep 
hole,  perhaps  fifty  feet  across  at  the  top,  and  was 
doubtless  the  site,  years,  years  ago,  of  one  of 
those  large  springs  so  often  found  near  the 
south  bank  of  Green  River.     There  is  a  spring 


22  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

at  the  present  entrance  of  the  Cave ;  the  water, 
no  doubt,  caused  the  falling  of  the  roof,  and 
closed  up  at  that  place  the  channel  leading 
from  the  former  mouth. 

"Very  few  persons  know  of  the  original 
'mouth,'  as  the  Cave  at  its  present  mouth  is 
filled  up  with  rocks,  dirt,  etc. 

"  When  first  discovered,  the  Cave  was  not 
considered  of  much  value.  It  sold,  with  about 
two  hundred  acres  of  land,  for.  about  forty 
dollars. 

"  McLean,  t  believe,  was  the  first  person  who 
attempted  to  make  saltpetre  there,  perhaps  in 
the  year  1811.  He  sold  to  Gate  wood,  who  en- 
larged the  works.  He,  in  turn,  sold  to  Gratz 
&  Wilkins  (Gratz  of  Philadelphia,  and  Wilkins 
of  Lexington,  Ky.) ;  they,  during  the  War  of 
1812,  made  large  quantities  of  saltpetre,  and 
wagoned  it  principally  to  Philadelphia.  Their 
agent  at  the  Cave  was  an  Irish  gentleman  by 
the  name  of  Archibald  Miller.  The  work 
during  the  War  of  1812  was  mostly  done  by 
negroes,  some  of  them  working  in  the  Cave 
without  coming  out  for  an  entire  year.*     They 


*  This  is  singular,  as  they  were  rarely  ever  more  than  one 
mile  from  the  entrance. — W.  S.  F. 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE.  23 

came  out  healthy,  and  had  a  beautiful  gloss, 
with  shining  faces  and  skins. 

"After  the  War  of  1812-14  it  was  no  longer 
profitable  to  make  saltpetre  at  the  Cave,  on 
account  of  the  importation  of  the  East  Indian 
article  in  the  Eastern  market,  at  rates  much 
cheaper  than  it  could  be  wagoned  from  the 
Cave. 

"When  Messrs.  Gratz  &  Wilkins  ceased  to 
make  saltpetre,  after  having  acquired  sixteen 
hundred  and  ten  acres  of  land  over  and  around 
the  Cave,  they  continued  their  faithful,  true, 
and  honest  agent,  Miller,  to  overlook  and  take 
care  of  the  property  and  to  show  the  Cave  to 
the  curious.  About  the  year  1816,  Mr.  Miller 
placed  the  Cave  and  other  property  in  the 
possession  of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Moore,  and 
his  wife,  hoth  Irish,  of  the  old  stock.  Mr.  Moore 
had  been  wealthy,  and  a  large  merchant  in 
Philadelphia.  Unfortunately,  he  was  seduced 
into  unlawful  acts  by  Blennerhassett,  the  friend 
of  Burr,  and  was  pecuniarily  ruined.  The 
Moores  left  there  some  time  afterward,  when 
Gatewood  took  possession,  and  showed  the 
Cave  to  all  visitors  for  years;  but  it  did  not 
pay,  and  he  left. 

"In  1837  I  purchased  the  Cave  and  prop- 


24  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

erty,  when  it  was  in  a  dilapidated  state,  and 
placed  Mrs.  Moore  there  (Mr.  M6ore  having 
previously  died),  together  with  Archibald  Mil- 
ler, her  nephew,  and  son  of  the  previous  oc- 
cupant of  the  same  name,  as  my  agents.  They 
were  residing  there  when  I  sold  the  Cave  and 
property  to  Dr.  John  Crogan,*  who  continued 
Mrs.  Moore  and  Mr.  Miller,  Jr.  in  charge 
during  their  lives.  Dr.  Crogan  devised  the 
estate  to  Mr.  Gwathmey  and  Judge  J.  R. 
Underwood,  for  the  use  of  eleven  nephews 
and  nieces.  Judge  Underwood  is  the  surviv- 
ing trustee,  and  is  now  managing  the  estate. 

"  It  was  while  I  owned  the  property  that  a 
nephew  of  mine,  Mr.  Charles  F.  Harvey  (now  a 
merchant  in  Louisville,  Ky.),  was  lost  in  the 
Cave  for  thirty-nine  hours.  After  he  was 
found,  I  determined  to  have  further  explora- 
tions made.     At  that  time  no  person  had  ever 


*  We  remember  having  seen  a  statement  in  the  newspapers, 
years  ago,  to  the  efifect  that  Dr.  Crogan,  while  visiting  objects 
of  interest  in  Europe,  was  repeatedly  asked  for  information 
regarding  the  Mammoth  Cave;  and,  as  the  result  of  the  mor- 
tification induced  by  his  total  ignorance  of  the  subject,  on  his 
return  home  he  visited  the  curiosity,  and  purchased  the  prop- 
erty, with  the  view  of  imparting  more  extended  knowledge 
of  this  great  American  wonder  to  his  countrymen  and  to  travel- 
ers from  other  lands. — W.  S.  F. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  25 

been  beyond  the  '  Bottomless  Pit.'  We  dis- 
covered '  Gorin's  Dome,'  covering  nearly  an 
acre  of  ground,  and  perhaps  five  hundred  feet 
high.* 

"  I  placed  a  gaide  in  the  Cave, — the  celebrated 
and  great  Stephen, — and  he  aided  in  making 
the  discoveries.  He  was  the  first  person  who 
ever  crossed  the  '  Bottomless  Pit ;'  and  he,  my- 
self, and  another  person,  whose  name  I  have 
forgotten,  were  the  only  persons  ever  at  the 
bottom  of  '  Gorin's  Dome,'  to  my  knowledge. 

"After  Stephen  crossed  the  '  Bottomless  Pit,' 
we  discovered  all  that  part  of  the  Cave  now 
known  beyond  that  point.  Previous  to  those 
discoveries,  all  interest  centered  in  what  is 
known  as  the  '  Old  Cave,'  the  chief  points  of 
attraction  being  the  '  Star  Chamber,'  the 
'  Cataract,'  *  The  Chief  City,'  '  Robber's  Cave,' 
'  Lover's  Leap,'  '  Bonaparte's  Breastworks/ 
'  Gatewood's  Dining  Table,'  '  Black  Chambers,' 
'  Grotto,'  etc.  etc.;  but  now  many  of  these  points 
are  but  little  known,  although,  as  Stephen  was 


*  Mr.  Gorin,  in  a  subsequent  letter  to  the  writer,  states  that 
possibly  this  estimate  of  the  dimensions  of  the  Dome  is  too 
great,  as  our  own  observations  confirm  ;  but  he  believes  that  Dr. 
Wright's  estimate,  which  we  will  hereafter  give,  is  much  below 
the  actual  measurements. — W.  S.  F. 


26  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

wont  to   say,  they  were   'grand,  gloomy,   and 
peculiar.' 

"  Many  attempted  descriptions  of  the  Cave 
have  been  published  in  the  newspapers ;  and 
several  pamphlet  publications  have  been  made  ; 
but  I  know  of  none  now  existing.  Many  of 
the  newspaper  articles  were  utterly  false. 

"  Stephen  was  a  self-educated  man  ;  he  had 
a  fine  genius,  a  great  fund  of  wit  and  humor, 
some  little  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek,  and 
much  knowledge  of  geology ;  but  his  great 
talent  was  a  perfect  knowledge  of  man.* 

"  I  have  been  compelled  to  write  you  this 
letter  in  great  haste,  but  you  may  rely  upon 
the  facts  as  stated. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  F."^  GORIN." 

*  It  has  been  said  that  Stephen  was  partly  of  Indian  ex- 
traction. In  reply  to  a  subsequent  letter  addressed  to  Mr. 
Gorin,  on  this  and  other  points,  he  remarks,  "  There  was  not 
any  Indian  blood  in  Stephen's  veins.  I  knew  his  reputed  father, 
who  was  a  white  man.  I  owned  Stephen's  mother  and  brother, 
but  not  until  after  both  of  the  children  were  born.  Stephen  was 
certainly  a  very  extraordinary  boy  and  man.  His  talents  were  of 
the  first  order.  He  was  trustworthy  and  reliable ;  he  was  com- 
panionable ;  he  was  a  hero,  and  could  be  a  clown.  He  knew  a 
gentleman  or  a  lady  as  if  by  instinct.  He  learned  whatever  he 
wished,  without  trouble  or  labor  ;  and  it  is  said  that  a  late  pro- 
fessor of  geology  spoke  highly  of  his  knowledge  in  that  depart- 
ment of  science." 


*  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  27 

From  data  that  we  have  obtained  from 
various  sources,  we  learn  that  the  "  Bottomless 
Pit"  was  not  crossed,  nor  the  great  curiosities 
beyond  dreamed  of,  for  about  thirty  years  after 
what  is  called  the  "  Main  Cave"  had  been 
explored.  Indeed,  it  is  known  that  many 
avenues,  with  their  hidden  treasures,  have  not 
to  the  present  day  been  trodden  by  mortal 
footsteps.  So  much  has  already  been  explored 
that  curiosity  appears  to  be  satiated. 

It  is  said  that  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  of  travel  is  required  to  visit  the  parts  of 
the  Cave  that  have  already  been  traversed;  and 
we  were  informed  by  the  guides  that  avenues 
were  known  to  them  which  would  probably 
increase  the  extent  of  travel  to  two  hundred 
miles.* 


*  Since  the  foregoing  was  penned,  we  have  been  informed  by 
the  proprietor  of  the  Cave  Hotel,  Mr.  L.  J.  Proctor,  in  a  letter 
dated  March  12,  1870,  that  "  Two  years  ago  three  of  the  guides 
at  the  Cave,  Messrs.  F.  M.  De  Monbrum  and  Charles  and  A.  Mer- 
ideth,  discovered  a  new  avenue  in  the  Mammoth  Cave,  branching 
off  from  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor,  just  beyond  Ole  Bull's  Concert 
Room.  They  first  entered  a  narrow  crevice,  through  which  they 
passed  some  seventy  yards,  when  they  entered  a  large  cave, 
which  they  explored  for  many  miles,  and  from  which  many 
branching  avenues  led  off,  which  they  did  not  explore.  They  de- 
scribe this  newly-discovered  avenue  as  extremely  grand,  and  in 
many  places  beautiful.     They  crossed  a  large,  and  as  yet  unex- 


28 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 


plored,  river,  and  found  that  the  main  avenue  terminated  in  a 
dome  more  extensive  than  any  that  they  had  ever  seen.  What  was 
beyond  this  dome  they  could  not  conjecture,  as  they  were  unable 
to  enter  it  from  the  avenue.  They  estimate  that  they  traveled 
eight  miles  in  this  one  avenue.  I  have  not  seen  it  myself.  The 
explored  portions  of  the  Cave  that  I  have  visited  constitute 
within  themselves  an  under-ground  world  ;  and  I  am  satisfied  that  I 
have  traveled  from  150  to  200  miles  in  the  different  avenues,  upon 
the  Long  Route  especially.  There  is  a  perfect  wilderness  of  Cave 
that  is  never  seen  or  dreamed  of  by  visitors  generally,  and  many 
parts  more  beautiful  than  those  ordinarily  seen  by  parties  making 
the  Long  Route.  I  refer  particularly  to  Marion's  Avenue,  Ali- 
da's  Avenue,  Murdock's  Pass,  and  out  Boone's  Avenue  and  the 
regions  of  Mystic  River." 


CHAPTER   III. 

LOCATION  OF  THE  CAVE,  MEANS  OP  APPROACH,  AND  CHAR- 
ACTER OP  THE  SURROUNDING  COUNTRY. — THE  INDIAN 
CAVE. — MAMMOTH  CAVE    HOTEL,  ETC. 

The  Mammoth  Cave  is  situated  in  Edmonson 
County,  in  the  southern  part  of  Kentucky. 

It  is  most  readily  approached  from  the  North 
by  way  of  Louisville,  by  the  Louisville  &  Nash- 
ville Railroad,  which  has  long  since  super- 
seded the  old  stage-coaches.  The  distance  from 
Louisville  is  about  ninety-five  miles,  or  about 
one-half  the  distance  between  that  city  and 
Nashville. 

The  station  at  which  passengers  left  the  rail- 
road at  the  time  of  our  visit  is  called  Cave  City, 
a  point  about  ten  miles  from  the  Cave. 

Visitors  from  the  South  come  by  way  of  Nash- 
ville to  the  same  point.  The  high-sounding 
name  of  "  City,"  as  applied  to  this  place,  re- 
minded us  forcibly  of  the  vest  of  the  hero  of 
the  comic  song,  which,  he  snid, — 

.3*  (  29  ) 


30  THE    MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

"  was  big  euough  for  two  ; 
But  there  is  nothing  strange  in  that,^ 
For  the  tailor  saw,  without  a  doubt, 
I  some  day  would  grow  fat !" 

This  "City"  consists  of  about  a  dozen  ordi- 
nary-looking houses;  but,  possessing  an  ample 
title  in  advance,  it  may  be  presumed  that  it  will 
some  day  grow  large. 

The  hotel  from  which  the  stage-coach  line 
starts  is  small,  but  the  traveler  is  very  comfort- 
ably entertained.* 

We  were  conveyed  from  this  "City"  to  the 
Cave  in  coaches,  the  distance  being,  as  before 
stated,  about  ten  miles, — by  some  estimated  at 
nine,  and  by  others  at  eleven. •]- 

The  surface  of  the  country  over  which  this 
road  passes  is  high,  hilly,  rocky,  and  the  soil  of 
an  apparently  poor  quality.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  the  surface-aj)pearance  along  the  route,  for 
the  reason  that,  for  some  distance,  this  road  is 

*  Since  the  above  was  written,  we  regret  to  learn  that  this  little 
city  was,  on  January  17, 1870,  almost  totally  destroyed  by  a  tor- 
nado, during  which  several  of  the  inhabitants  lost  their  lives. 

t  We  have  recently  noticed  in  the  newspapers  that,  to  the  great 
comfort  and  convenience  of  visitors,  horse-cars  have  been  substi- 
tuted for  the  stage-coaches  on  the  route  from  Cave  City  to  the 
Cave ;  but  our  inquiries,  addressed  to  parties  in  the  neighborhood 
for  a  confirmation  of  this  report,  have  not  yet  (April  1,  1870) 
been  replied  to. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  31 

supposed  to  pass  directly  over  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  Cave.  At  the  date  of  our  journey 
— the  latter  part  of  May — this  road  was* in  a 
comparatively  good  condition  ;  but  in  the  winter 
and  early  part  of  the  spring  it  is  said  to  be  al- 
most impassable  to  travelers.  The  greater  part 
of  the  soil  is  a  light-colored,  sticky  clay,  with 
a  little  sand  at  intervals.  The  rocks  are  com- 
posed chiefly  of  soft  white  limestone,  easily 
acted  upon  by  chemical  and  mechanical  agen- 
cies; hence  we  find  them  excavated  and  jag- 
ged, presenting  rough,  irregular  outlines;  their 
outside  color  is  of  a  dirty,  grayish  character, 
owing  to  exposure  to  the  elements,  but  the  inte- 
rior is  white. 

There  are  small  cultivated  patches  of  ground 
here  and  there,  scarcely  deserving  the  name  of 
farms.  The  country  generally  is  covered  with 
straggling  forests,  consisting  chiefly  of  "black- 
jack," white  oak,  chestnut,  etc.  Frequently 
along  the  road  may  be  seen  small  circular  de- 
pressions in  the  ground,  called  ''  sinks,"  the 
surface  having  fallen  in  in  consequence  of  sub- 
terraneous excavation.  The  whole  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  appears  to  be  of  a  cavernous 
nature ;  and,  if  the  traveler  should  be  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  possess  a  timid  disposition  or  large 


32  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

development  of  caution,  he  might  be  .apprehen- 
sive  of  a  sudden  disappearance  of  the  stage- 
coach into  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

There  are  several  caves  in  this  vicinity, 
— namely,  Proctor's  Cave,  aboul:  three  miles  in 
length ;  White's  Cave,  Diamond  Cave,  and  the 
Indian  Cave,  each  of  which  is  about  one  mile 
in  length. 

The  Indian  Cave  opens  directly  on  the  stage- 
route  ;  and,  as  the  coaches  halt  sufficiently  long 
to  give  visitors  an  opportunity  of  examining  it, 
we  embraced  the  occasion  for  preparing  our 
senses,  in  this  minor  cave,  for  witnessing  the 
stupendous  curiosities  yet  in  store  for  us.  An 
exceedingly  loquacious  young  man  acted  as  our 
guide.  He  stated  that  he  discovered  the  Cave 
himself,  six  years  previously,  and  was  joint 
proprietor  with  his  father,  who  lived  near  by. 

The  ingress  to  this  Cave  is  quite  difficult. 
The  descent  from  the  road  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Cave  is  almost  perpendicular,  and  the  distance 
is  about  one  hundred  feet.  The  mouth  itself 
consists  of  a  circular  passage  about  three  feet  in 
diameter,  and  eight  feet  deep.  The  descent  is 
made  at  this  point  by  the  aid  of  rude  wooden 
steps.  In  answer  to  an  inquiry  why  greater 
conveniences  for  entrance  were  not  provided,  we 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  66 

received  the  unsatisfactory  reply  that  he  did  not 
wish  to  disturb  the  original  appearances  of  nature. 

Upon  reaching  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  we 
found  ourselves  in  an  open  space,  somewhat 
higher  than  a  man's  head,  and  about  ten  or 
fifteen  feet  wide. 

This  cave  apparently  extends  in  nearly  a 
direct  line.  We  say  apparently,  for  it  is  impos- 
sible for  an  individual  who  enters  a  dark  hole 
under  ground,  for  the  first  time,  to  form  a  cor- 
rect idea  of  direction  or  distance. 

The  length  of  this  cave,  as  before  remarked, 
is  about  one  mile.  The  floor  being  compara- 
tively smooth,  and  nearly  level,  there  was  but 
little  fatigue  attending  the  exploration. 

There  is  a  considerable  number  of  very  hand- 
/some  stalactites  and  stalagmites  to  be  seen  in 
this  Cave,  the  beauty  of  which  will  fully  repay 
\lhe  visitor  for  the  time  thus  occupied. 
y^ne  of  the  chief  curiosities  of  the  Indian 
(Cave  is  the  Pool  of  Bethesda.  It  is  a  fountain 
of  pure,  limpid  water,  about  four  feet  in  diameter, 
and  nearly  circular  in  form,  and  is  mantled 
around  with  delicate,  coral-like  formation  stalag- 
mites, giving  it  the  appearance  of  a  rustic  work 
of  art.  We  partook  freely  of  the  water,  and 
found  it  agreeable  to  the  palate. 


34  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Another  point  of  interest  is  Aline's  Dome, 
said  to  be  named  for  Miss  Aline  Dii  Pont,  who, 
we  were  told,  was  the  first  lady-visitor  to  this 
Cave.  This  dome  is  not  of  large  proportions, 
but  displays  more  than  ordinary  beauty,  being 
surrounded  by  what  is  known  as  Elphies's  group 
of  stalactites. 

There  are  several  other  parts  of  the  Cave 
having  fanciful  names,  possessing  more  or  less 
interest,  but  they  did  not  impress  us  sufficiently 
to  be  remembered. 

We  inquired  of  our  guide  why  the  name 
"Indian"  had  been  applied  to  the  Cave.  He 
stated  that  the  name  was  suggested  by  the  fact 
that,  upon  his  first  entrance  within  the  Cave, 
he  discovered  several  Indian  skeletons.  Upon 
manifesting  our  curiosity  to  see  them,  he  in- 
formed us  that,  in  consequence  of  the  bones 
having,  on  different  occasions,  been  sacrilegiously 
handled  by  some  of  the  visitors, — even  to  carry- 
ing them  out  and  leaving  them  exposed  upon 
the  ground, — he  considered  it  his  Christian  duty 
to  deposit  them  in  a  place  where  they  would 
escape  further  desecration  ;  he  then  pointed  out 
to  us  a  deep  pit  in  the  Cave,  into  the  invisible 
depths  of  which  he  had  thrown  them.  Visitors 
may  take   this   explanation    as  fact   or   fancy. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  35 

according  to  the  amount  of  credulity  they  pos- 
sess :  in  either  case,  their  interest  in  the  Cave 
need  not  be  lessened. 

We  re-entered  the  coaches,  and,  after  a  ride  of 
about  five  miles,  reached  the  Mammoth  Cave 
Hotel,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  An 
exceedingly  disagreeable,  drizzling  rain  was  fall- 
ing ;  and  although  we  were  in  the  southern  part 
of  Kentucky,  in  the  latter  half  of  May,  we 
found  the  atmosphere  so  chilly  as  to  require  the 
use  of  fires  in  our  rooms. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  Cave  visitors  of  the 
present  day,  it  is  proper  to  add,  in  this  place, 
that  we  have  recently  (1870)  received  a  com- 
munication from  Mr.  Proctor,  of  the  Cave 
Hotel,  in  which  he  states  that  Glasgow  Junc- 
tion, as  a  stopping-place,  on  the  Louisville  & 
Nashville  Railroad,  for  parties  visiting  the 
Cave,  has  various  advantages  over  Cave  City  : 
first,  it  is  about  three  miles  nearer  the  Cave 
(being  but  seven  miles  distant)  ;  second,  an 
excellent  stage-road  has  been  recently  made 
between  the  points ;  and,  third,  immediately 
upon  this  route  lie  the  Diamond  and  Proctor 
Caves,  both  of  which  are  exceedingly  beautiful 
and  interesting. 

With  the  view  of  gaining  time,  some  of  our 


36  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

party  were  anxious  to  enter  the  vCave  on  the 
night  of  our  arrival, — thinking  that  it  was  a 
matter  of  little  consequence  whether  it  was  day 
or  night  on  the  outside,  knowing  that  perpetual 
night  reigned  within.  It  was  soon  ascertained, 
however,  that  parties  were  not  permitted  to 
enter  except  at  stated  hours, — at  nine  and  at 
half-past  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning, — accord- 
ing to  the  route  taken.  This  system  was  ex- 
plained as  being  necessary  for  the  benefit  of  the 
guides,  and  for  the  proper  regulation  of  the 
hotel  arransjements. 

A  guide  who  had  been  journeying  through 
the  Cave  all  the  day  of  course  would  not  feel 
willing  to  continue  his  travels  through  the  night 
also.  Physical  exhaustion,  if  no  other  consider- 
ation, would  render  such  a  procedure  imprac- 
ticable. Our  own  experience  afterward  enabled 
us  to  appreciate  the  force  of  the  latter  argument. 
An  additional  number  of  guides,  undoubtedly, 
might  be  kept,  but  their  services  would  be  so 
rarely  required  that  the  proprietors  do  not  feel 
justified  in  incurring  the  extra  expense. 

This  delay  gave  us  an  opportunity  of  taking 
a  survey  of  the  premises. 

The  Cave  Hotel  is  large  and  commodious. 
It  is   built  in   the    Southern    style,   with  wide 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  37 

verandas,  is  amply  ventilated,  and  is  said  to 
be  capable  of  accommodating  between  four  and 
five  hundred  guests  at  a  time.  The  rooms  are 
of  sufficient  size,  and  are  very  well  furnished. 
The  table  is  really  deserving  of  praise,  for  it  is 
supplied  with  the  best  quality  of  excellently- 
cooked  food,  and  is  accommodatingly  attended 
by  experienced  negro  waiters.  A  large  ball- 
room is  united  with  the  hotel,'  and  is  fitted  up 
with  all  the  conveniences  required  by  those  who 
pay  court  at  the  shrine  of  Terpsichore.  Con- 
nected with  the  main  building,  and  running  at 
right  angles  with  its  front,  is  a  long  row  of  cot- 
tages, with  a -continuous  veranda,  extending  at 
least  three  hundred  feet. 

In  speaking  upon  this  point,  Bayard  Taylor 
remarks,  "  The  main  body  of  the  hotel,  with 
this  wing,  furnishes  at  least  six  hundred  feet 
of  portico,  forming  one  of  the  most  delightful 
promenades  imaginable  for  summer  weather." 

About  one  hundred  yards  beyond  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  cottages,  well  shaded  by  forest 
trees,  may  be  seen  the  remains  of  a  tenpin- 
alley  building.  This  went  down  during  the 
war;  and,  as  the  proprietors  suffered  so  severely 
from  the  entire  loss  of  business  during  those  four 
or  five  gloomy  years,  it  has  not  yet  been  rebuilt. 

4 


38  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Other  marks  of  dilapidation  are  also  apparent, 
from  the  same  cause;  but  as  the  return-tide  of 
visitors  Segins  to  flow,  with  its  attendant  pros- 
perity, evidences  of  restoration  are  visible. 

The  building  and  the  surrounding  grounds 
are  in  marked  contrast  with  those  seen  by  the 
way  from  Cave  City.  The  visitor  is  surprised 
to  find  in  this  uncultivated  "backwoods"  such 
a  large  and  cheerful-looking  dwelling  and  so 
handsome  a  lawn.  The  lawn  comprises  about 
two  acres  of  ground,  is  laid  out  with  gravel 
walks,  and  is  tastefully  ornamented  with  cedar 
and  other  trees. 

There*  are  not  many  summer  resorts  where 
an  individual  or  a  family  can  pass  a  few  weeks 
more  pleasantly  or  more  profitably  than  at  the 
Mammoth  Cave  Hotel.  Here  are  to  be  found 
all  the  advantages  of  a  first-class  watering-place 
hotel,  with  the  addition  of  fine  country  scenery, 
and  daily  opportunities  of  observing  Nature's 
great  subterranean  wonder. 

In  the  yard,  immediately  in  front  of  the  main 
building,  stands  a  very  curious-looking  sand- 
stone rock,  about  three  and  a  half  feet  square. 
One  side  of  the  rock  has  a  regular  surface  which 
is  covered  with  perforations  similar  in  size  and 
shape   (though  more  widely  separated)   to   the 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  39 

openings  in  the  ordinary  cane-seated  chair,  about 
half  an  inch  in  depth,  and  arranged  in  regular 
lines.  This  rock,  we  are  informed,  was  exca- 
vated near  the  Cave  about  twenty  years  ago. 
No  explanation  was  offered  as  to  the  probable 
cause  of  the  perforations,  but  we  were  left  to 
infer,  from  their  perfect  regularity,  that  they 
were  produced  by  human  agency.  Perhaps  some 
rude  Indian  artist,  hundreds  of  years  ago,  is 
entitled  to  the  credit  of  exciting  our  curiosity 
at  the  present  day. 

We  learned  at  the  hotel  that  the  Mammoth 
Cave  and  the  Cave  Hotel  belonged  jointly  to 
nine  or  ten  parties,  to  whom  it  had  been  devised 
by  its  former  proprietor.  Dr.  Crogan,  for  a  period 
of  ninety-nine  years.  Only  about  twenty-five 
years  of  the  time  have  yet  expired. 

It  seems  to  be  regarded  by  the  public  as  an 
unfortunate  disposition  of  the  property,  that  so 
many  parties  should  be  concerned  in  the  owner- 
ship. Owing  to  their  diverse  views,  the  Cave 
travel  is  not  so  easy  nor  so  agreeable  to  visitors 
as  it  might  be  made  with  trifling  expenditure. 
It  is  said  that  some  of  the  proprietors  are 
anxious  to  do  one  thing,  some  another,  and 
some  nothing.  Being  unable  to  agree,  nothing 
is  done;  and  visitors  are  compelled  to  undergo 


40  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

much  rough  and  fatiguing  travel  within  the 
Cave,  over  loose  rocks,  etc.,  which  might  be  ren- 
dered, at  small  expense,  comparatively  smooth. 
Hand-cars  might  be  introduced  and  easily  made 
available  over  more  than  half  the  Long  Route, 
stopping  as  frequently  as  the  curiosity  of  the 
visitor  might  require  in  making  his  observa- 
tions. 

Green  River,  with  its  towering  cliffs,  is  but  a 
few  hundred  yards  from  the  hotel. 

Bayard  Taylor,  upon  first  beholding  this  beau- 
tiful river,  at  the  time  of  his  visit  to  the  Cave, 
sixteen  years  ago,  was  struck  by  the  appropri- 
ateness of  the  lines  of  Bryant,  which  were 
applied,  strange  to  say,  to  another  river  of  the 
same  name : 

"Yet,  fair  as  thou  art,  thou  shunnest  to  glide, 
Beautiful  stream  !  by  the  village  side, 
But  windest  away  from  haunts  of  men, 
To  silent  valley  and  shaded  glen." 

It  has  been  conclusively  proven,  by  careful 
observations,  that  the  rivers  of  the  Cave  have  a 
subterraneous  communication  with  Green  River. 

The  entrance  of  the  Cave  is  about  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  from  the  hotel,  and  is  reached  by  pass- 
ing down  a  wild,  rocky  ravine  through  a  dense 
forest, — a  fitting  avenue  to  the  hidden  world. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  41 

The  opening  surrounding  the  mouth  of  the 
Cave  is  irregularly  funnel-shaped ;  the  walls 
being  steep,  and  forty  or  fifty  feet  in  height, 
and  between  fifty  and  one  hundred  feet  across 
the  top  of  the  funnel. 

"Trees,"  says  Taylor,  "grow  around  the  edges 
of  the  pit,  almost  roofing  it  with  shade ;  ferns 
and  tangled  vines  fringe  its  sides;  and  a  slender 
stream  of  water  falls  from  the  rocks  which  arch 
above  the  entrance,  dropping  like  a  silver  veil 
before  the  mysterious  darkness  beyond." 

At  nearly  all  seasons  a  mist  or  fog  may  be 
seen  hanging  over  the  mouth  of  the  Cave. 

When  the.external  air  is  warmer  than  that  of 
the  Cave,  the  mist  is  produced  by  the  condensa- 
tion of  the  moisture  of  the  former  by  the 
reduced  temperature  of  the  latter.  On  the 
contrary,  if  the  temperature  of  the  external 
atmosphere  is  lower  than  that  of  the  Cave,  the 
moisture  of  the  air  of  the  latter  is  condensed  in 
a  similar  manner. 

When  the  temperature  of  the  outer  air  is  the 
same  as  that  of  the  Cave,  no  fog  or  cloud  is 
observable  about  its  mouth. 

The  entrance  of  the  Mammoth  Cave,  at  an 
early  period  of  its  history,  as  has  already  been 
stated  by  Mr.  Gorin,  was  situated  about  half  a 

4* 


42  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

mile  from  its  present  location,  constituting  what 
is  now  called  Dickson's  Cave. 

This  Cave  terminates  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
mouth  of  Mammoth  Cave,  but  there  is  at  present 
no  direct  communication  between  the  two. 
The  voice  of  a  person  at  the  end  of  Dickson's 
Cave  can  be  distinctly  heard  at  the  entrance  of 
Mammoth  Cave. 

The  present  entrance  to  Mammoth  Cave  was 
formed,  and  its  communication  with  Dickson's 
Cave  cut  off,  by  the  disintegrating  action  of  the 
water  of  the  spring,  which  discharges  its , con- 
tents at  the  mouth  of  the  former,  and  caused  the 
Cave  to  fail  in  at  this  point, — thus  establishing 
a  new  entrance,  and  shortening  the  length  of 
the  Cave  about  half  a  mile.  This  is  also  the 
theory  put  forth  by  Dr.  Wright,  and  there  seems 
to  be  no  reason  for  questioning  its  correctness. 

Dickson's  Cave  differs  but  little  in  size  and 
appearance  from  Proctor's  Arcade  in  the  Mam- 
moth Cave. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


ATMOSPHERE   OF   THE    CAVE. 


As  the  circulation  of  the  air,  its  temperature, 
purity,  etc.,  in  the  Cave,  are  subjects  upon  which 
we  are  frequently  interrogated,  and  which  pos- 
sess great  interest  to  all  anticipating  a  visit,  we 
proceed  to  give  the  explanation  of  these  points 
in  the  words  of  Dr.  Wright,  who  thus  treats 
of  what  he  very  properly  terms  the  respiration 
of  the  cave.  « 

The  Mammoth  Cave  breathes  once  a  year. 
That  is  to  say,  in  summer,  or  when  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  external  air  is  above  that  of  the 
Cave,  the  current  sets  from  the  latter  to  the 
former.  In  other  words,  the  Cave  is  the  entire 
summer  in  making  an  expiration.  On  the  other 
hand,  when  the  order  is  reversed,  or  the  tem- 
perature of  the  outer  atmosphere  is  below  fifty- 
nine  degrees,  the  Cave  makes  an  inspiration, 
or  draws  in  its  breath,  which  it  accomplishes 
during  the  winter.  The  respiratory  mechanism 
of  the  Cave  ceases  to  operate — or,  to  carry  out 

(43) 


44  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

the  metaphor,  it  holds  its  breath-r-when  the 
mercury  in  the  thermometer  stands  at  fifty-nine 
degrees  in  the  outer  air,  which  is  the  average 
temperature  of  all  parts  of  the  cave,  winter  and 
summer.  Hence  it  is  frequently  observed,  in 
the  spring  and  fall,  that  there  is  no  motion  of 
the  air  in  either  direction  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Cave. 

On  entering  the  Cave  a  few  hundred  yards  in 
summer,  when  the  temperature  outside  is  at  or 
near  one  hundred  degrees,  the  air  rushes  out 
with  such  force  as  frequently  to  extinguish  the 
lamps.  Passing  into  the  Cave  for  about  half  a 
mile,  however,  the  motion  of  the  air  is  barely 
perceptible  at  any.  time,  from  the  fact  that  the 
main  avenue  enlarges  so  rapidly  that  it  plays 
the  part  of  a  reservoir,  where  a  current  of  air, 
from  any  direction,  is  speedily  neutralized.  If 
the  current  of  air  blows  from  without  inward, 
and  is  below  fifty-nine  degrees,  it  does  not  pass 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  before  it  is 
brought  up  to  that  point.  Air  above  the 
average  temperature  of  the  Cave  never  blows 
'  into  it. 

.Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  a  change  of 
seasons  is  unknown  in  the  Mammoth  Cave ; 
and  day  and  night,  morning  and  evening,  have 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  45 

no  existence  in  this  subterranean  world.  In 
fact,  there  is  an  eternal  sameness  here,  which  is 
without  a  parallel. 

In  many  parts  of  the  Cave,  time  itself  is  not 
an  element  of  change;  for  where  there  is  no 
variation  of  the  temperature,  no  water,  and  no 
light,  the  three  great  forces  of  geological  trans- 
formation cease  to  operate. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  Cave,  contrary  to 
what  might  be  generally  supposed,  is  remark- 
ably pure  and  wholesome. 

The  proportions  of  oxygen  and  nitrogen  bear 
the  same  relation  to  each  other  in  the  Mam- 
moth Cave  that  they  do  in  the  external  air. 
The  proportion  of  carbonic  acid  gas  is  less  than 
that  observed  in  the  atmosphere  in  the  sur- 
rounding country,  upon  an  average  of  many 
observations.  This  noxious  gas  is  one  of  the 
necessary  constituents  of  vegetable  existence ; 
and,  as  there  is  no  vegetable  life  within  the 
Cave,  its  comparative  absence  is  a  natural  in- 
ference. 

In  the  dry  parts  of  the  Cave  the  proportion 
of  carbonic  acid  is  said  to  be  about  2  to  10,000 
of  air ;  in  the  vicinity  of  the  rivers,  something 
less.  Not  a  trace  of  ammonia  can  be  detected 
in  those  parts  of  the  Cave  not  commonly  visited. 


46  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

The  amount  of  the  vapor  of  water  varies.  Thus, 
in  those  avenues  at  a  great  distance  from  the 
rivers,  upon  the  walls  and  floors  of  which  there 
is  a  deposit  of  the  nitrate  of  lime,  the  air  is 
almost  entirely  destitute  of  moisture,  from  the 
hygroscopic  properties  of  that  salt ;  and  animal 
matter  mummifies  instead  of  undergoing  putre- 
factive decomposition.  For  the  same  reason,  no 
matter  what  state  of  division  the  disintegrated 
rock  may  attain,  dust  never  rises.  In  portions  of 
the  Cave  remote  from  the  localities  in  which  the 
bats  hibernate,  no  organic  matter  can  be  recog- 
nized by  the  most  delicate  tests.  Not  a  trace  of 
ozone  can  be  detected  by  the  most  sensitive  re- 
agents. 

From  what  has  been  stated,  it  will  be  ob- 
served that  the  atmosphere  of  the  Mammoth 
Cave  is  freer  from  those  substances  which  are 
calculated  to  exert  a  depressing  and  septic  in- 
fluence on  the  animal  economy  than  that  of  any 
other  locality  on  the  globe.  This  great  differ- 
ence is  observed  by  every  one  on  leaving  the 
Cave,  after  having  remained  in  it  for  a  number 
of  hours. 

In  such  instances,  the  impurity  of  the  external 
air  is  almost  insufferably  offensive  to  the  sense  of 
smell,  and  the  romance  of  a  "pure  country  air" 
is  forever  dissipated. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  47 

The  only  instance  that  history  (possibly  ro- 
mance) records,  so  for  as  is  known  to  the  writer, 
in  which  these  disagreeable  effects  of  the  ordi- 
nary atmosphere  were  markedly  produced,  wa3 
in  the  case  of  the  unhappy  Caspar  Hauser,  who 
was  confined  in  a  subterranean  dungeon  at  Nu- 
remberg from  infancy  to  adult  age.  When  he 
was  finally  brought  upon  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  his  life  was  rendered  miserable  by  the 
insufferable  odors  that  constantly  impressed  his 
olfactory  nerves.  The  smell  of  flowers,  that  to 
others  were  sweet,  was  so  intensified  in  his  case 
as  to  be  exceedingly  disagreeable.  He  was 
unable  to  pass  a  grave-yard,  where  others  could 
detect  no  odor  whatever,  without  fainting  from 
the  painful  impression  received  through  the 
sense  of  smell.  This  shows  that,  to  appreciate 
"  country  air,"  our  senses  must  be  adapted  to  it 
by  constant  contact. 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE   FORMATION   OF  THE   CAVE,  AND   ITS   CONNECTION  WITH 
GREEN  RIVER. 

Before  entering  the  Cave,  it  will  be  proper 
for  us  to  consider  the  agencies  concerned  in  its 
formation.  These  may  be  divided  into  chemical 
and  mechanical.  We  strictly  follow  the  words 
of  Dr.  Wright  in  these  explanations,  knowing 
that  his  education  in  this  particular,  and  his  op- 
portunities for  observation,  eminently  qualify 
him  for  giving  correct  views  on  the  subject. 

Of  the  chemical  agencies,  which  were  un- 
doubtedly the  most  remarkable  and  important, 
he  says,  "  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the 
solvent  action  of  water  holding  carbonic  acid  in 
solution  was  the  primary  agency  concerned  in 
the  formation  of  the  Cave.  Thus  the  limestone, 
or  carbonate  of  lime,  which  constitutes  the  strata 
of  rock  through  which  the  Cave  runs,  is  not  sol- 
uble in  water  until  it  combines  with  an  addi- 
tional proportion  of  carbonic  acid,  by  which  it  is 
transformed  into  the  bicarbonate  of  lime.  In  thi.s 
( 48 ) 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE.  49 

way  the  process  of  excavation  was  conducted, 
until  communications  were  established  with  run- 
ning water,  Jby  which  the  mechanical  agency  of 
that  fluid  was  made  to  assist  the  chemical.  The 
little  niches  and  recesses  which  are  observed  in 
various  parts  of  the  Cave,  and  which  seem  to 
have  been  chiseled  out  and  'polished  by  artificial 
means,  were  formed  in  this  manner ;  for  when 
these  points  are  closely  examined,  a  crevice  will 
be  observed  at  the  top  or  back  of  them,  through 
which  water  issued  at  the  time  of  their  forma- 
tion, but  which  has  been  partially  closed  by  crys- 
tals of  carbonate  of  lime  or  gypsum.  At  the 
time  these  niches  were  forming,  water  flowed 
through  the  avenues  in  which  they  are  found. 
Examples  of  the  action  we  have  been  describing 
may  be  seen  in  Sparks'  Avenue,  leading  to  the 
Mammoth  Dome. 

"The  grooves  which  are  observed  in  rock  over 
which  water  is  or  has  been  flowing  are  also 
formed  by  the  solvent  action  of  water  contain- 
ing carbonic  acid ;  for  in  all  such  instances  the 
water  has  no  solid  matter  in  suspension.  Ex-^ 
amples  of  this  kind  of  action  may  be  seen  in 
operation  in  Mammoth  and  Gorin's  Domes ;  and 
evidences  of  its  former  action  may  be  observed 
in  Lucy's  Dome.     What  are  termed  the  '  pigeon- 

5 


50  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

holes'  in  the  Main  Cave  are  cut  out^of  the  solid 
rock  in  the  same  manner. 

"Another  agency  which  contributes  in  part  to 
change  the  appearance  of  the  Cave  is  the  efflo- 
rescence of  the  sulphate  of  soda,  or  glauber-salts, 
and  the  crystallization  of  sulphate  of  lime,  or 
plaster  of  Paris. 

"The  sulphate  of  lime,  which  is  known  under 
the  names  of  gypsum,  plaster  of  Paris,  selenite, 
alabaster,  etc.,  exerts  a  much  greater  influence 
in  disintegrating  rock  than  the  sulphate  of  soda. 
The  avenues  in  which  gypsum  occurs  are  per- 
fectly dry,  differing  in  that  respect  from  those 
that  contain  stalactites.  When  rosettes  of  ala- 
baster are  formed  in  the  same  avenue  with  sta- 
lactites, the  water  which  formed  the  latter  has 
for  ages  ceased  to  flow,  or  they  are  situated  far 
apart,  as  the  former  cannot  form  in  a  damp  at- 
mosphere. The  force  exerted  by  gypsum  in  the 
act  of  crystallizing  is  about  equal  to  that  of  water 
when  freezing,  and  when  it  crystallizes  between 
ledges  of  rock,  they  are  fractured  in  every  direc- 
tion, as  instanced  in  Pensacola  Avenue  and 
Rhoda's  Arcade. 

"  The  formation  of  nitre  is  due,  in  part,  to  the 
decomposition  of  bats  and  other  animals ;  but  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  limestone  rocks  are 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  51 

never  entirely  destitute  of  nitrifiable  matter. 
The  nitric  acid  which  enters  into  its  composition 
may,  in  some  measure,  be  derived  from  the  at- 
mosphere. The  kind  of  nitre  that  is  found  in 
the  Cave  is  the  nitrate  of  lime,  which,  when  re- 
acted upon  by  the  carbonate  of  potash,  is  trans- 
formed into  the  nitrate  of  potash,  or  common 
saltpetre.  This  was  the  course  pursued  by  the 
saltpetre  miners  when  that  substance  was  manu- 
factured in  the  Cave  in  1812-14.  The  nitrate  of 
lime  is  found  in  the  dryer  parts  of  the  Cave, 
but  is  not  discoverable  till  the  earth  which  con- 
tains it  is  lixiviated. 

"  The  mechanical  agencies  concerned  in  the 
excavation  of  the  Mammoth  Cave  are  trifling 
when  compared  with  the  chemical.  They  are 
instanced  in  the  transportation  of  gravel,  sand, 
and  clay  from  one  part  of  the  Cave  to  another, 
and  in  the  abraded  appearances  presented  by 
the  rock  composing  certain  avenues.  Thus,  it  is 
possible  to  tell  the  direction  in  which  the  water 
ran  in  most  of  the  avenues,  and  the  rapidity  of 
its  motion,  by  observing  the  points  at  which 
gravel,  sand,  and  clay  are  deposited,  and  the 
order  in  which  they  come.  For  example,  the 
points  at  which  gravel  is  deposited  indicate  a 
rapid  current;  where  sand  is  found,  the  move- 


52  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

ment  was  slower;  and  where  clay  occurs,  the 
water  was  almost  or  quite  stationary. 

"At  one  time  the  water  rushed  with  great  force 
through  Fat  Man's  Misery,  for  in  Great  Relief, 
which  is  just  beyond,  washed  gravel  occurs  ; 
still  farther,  sand  is  found,  which  is  succeeded 
by  clay :  showing  that  the  current  was  in  the 
direction  of  Echo  River,  Before  the  mechanical 
agency  could  have  exerted  any  appreciable  influ- 
ence, the  chemical  must  have  been  in  operation 
for  thousands  of  ages. 

"The  loose  rocks  that  are  scattered  on  the 
floors  of  many  of  the  avenues  have  fallen  from 
the  walls  and  ceiling,  but  in  many  instances  the 
points  from  which  they  were  detached  are  indis- 
tinct, from  the  fact  that  the  rugged  surface  from 
which  they  have  fallen  is  either  smoothed  by 
the  action  of  water,  or  covered  by  crystals  of 
the  carbonate  or  sulphate  of  lime. 

"In  those  parts  of  the  Cave  where  no  rocks 
have  fallen,  the  floor  presents  the  appearance  of 
the  bed  of  a  river,  and  is  covered  with  gravel, 
sand,  or  clay,  according  to  the  rapidity  of  th6 
flow  of  the  water  at  the  time  of  the  deposit. 

"  Visitors  need  feel  no  apprehension  or  alarm 
in  reference  to  falling  rocks,  for  none  have  fallen 
since  the  discovery  of  the  Cave." 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  53 

It  may  be  well  in  this  place  to  refer  to  the 
interesting  relation  subsisting  between  Mam- 
moth Cave  and  Green  River.  There  can  be  no 
.doubt  that  Green  River  has  cut  out  the  bed  or 
channel  through  which  it  runs ;  for  on  ascend- 
ing its  banks  on  either  side  for  a  distance  of  not 
less  than  three  hundred  feet,  a  plain  is  reached, 
which  is  not  succeeded  by  a  valley  ;  establishing 
conclusively  that  it  has  worn  its  bed  to  its  pres- 
ent level  by  the  mechanical  and  chemical 
agency  of  water,  and  that  the  avenues  of  the 
Cave  were  cut  through  with  nearly  equal  pace, — 
those  near  the  surface  of  the  earth  being  formed 
first,  and  the  others  in  regular  order  from  above 
downward ;  the  avenues  through  which  Echo 
and  Roaring  Rivers  run  being  the  lowest  and 
last  formed.  Both  of  these  rivers  are  on  a  level 
with  Green  River,  with  which  there  is,  as  before 
stated,  a  subterraneous  communication.  As 
Green  River  continues  to  deepen  the  valley 
through  which  it  passes,  the  avenues  of  the 
Cave  will  continue  to  descend,  until  the  springs 
which  supply  Echo  and  Roaring  Rivers  cease  to 
flow,  when  the  avenues  through  which  they  run 
will  become  as  dry  as  Marion's  Avenue,  which, 
at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  Cave,  con- 

5* 


fc 


54  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

tained  the  most  beautiful  subterranean  river  in 
the  world. 

With  these  preliminary  details,  which  we  con- 
sider essential  to  a  proper  understanding  or  an 
intelligent  appreciation  of  the  curiosities  of  the 
Cave,  we  will  proceed  to  conduct  the  reader 
within  its  portals. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   LONG   ROUTE. 

The  Entrance. — The  Rotunda. — The  Vats  and  Water-pipes 
used  by  the  Saltpetre  Miners. — The  Methodist  Church. — The 
Giant's  Coffin.— The  Bottomless  Pit.— Fat  Man's  Misery. — 
Bacon  Chamber. — River  Styx  and  Lake  Lethe. 

On  the  morning  succeeding  our  arrival  at  the 
Cave  Hotel,  our  party,  consisting  of  fifteen  per- 
sons, seven  of  the  number  being  ladies,  fully 
equipped  in  Cave  costume,*  left  the  house  at 
nine  o'clock  precisely,  to  explore  what  is  known 
as  the  "  Long  Route,"  which  terminates  at  the 
Maelstrom. 

Our  party  being  large,  and  one  or  two  of  the 

*  For  the  information  of  the  uninitiated,  we  will  explain  that 
the  costumes  referred  to  are  kept  at  the  hotel  for  the  use  of  the 
visitors.  It  is  necessary  for  its  greater  convenience  in  threading 
narrow  passages,  and  for  the  equally  important  object  of  pre- 
serving from  damage  more  expensive  clothing.  Ladies  are  pro- 
vided with  short  dresses  of  stout  material,  generally  of  fancy  and 
picturesque  colors,  without  the  addition  of  crinoline.  Gentlemen 
have  short  woolen  jackets,  caps,  and  "  over-alls."  Many  jocular 
remarks  are  usually  made  by  parties,  thus  oddly  attired,  at  each 
other's  expense. 

(55) 


56  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

number  being  in  somewhat  feeble  health  from 
recent  indisposition,  we  deemed  it  prudent  to 
employ  two  guides  to  accompany  us,  so  that  one 
of  them  might  return  from  any  point  with  such 
parties  as  might  become  either  unable  or  unwill- 
ing to  proceed,  while  the  other  could  conduct 
those  who  wished  to  continue  the  journey. 
This  proved  to  be  a  wise  precaution,  as  one  or 
two  of  the  ladies  became  too  much  fatigued  to 
be  able  to  complete  more  than  about  two-thirds 
of  the  route. 

The  present  guides  at  the  Cave  are  white 
men ;  and  the  chief  one  in  charge  of  our  party, 
Mr.  Charles  Merideth,  is  a  man  of  considerable 
intelligence,  is  well  versed  in  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  Cave,  and,  in  common  with  the  other 
guides,  is  fully  qualified  for  the  performance  c£ 
the  duties  of  his  important  oflBce. 

The  guidance  through  the  Cave  was  formerly 
under  the  charge  of  colored  men.  Several  of 
them — Stephen,  Alfred,  and  Mat — attained  great 
celebrity  in  this  capacity;  and  all  former  visitors 
remember  these  names  as  a  part  of  their  Cave 
experiences. 

Stephen,  who  was  particularly  famed  for  his 
qualifications  in  this  respect,  as  has  been  seen  in 
Mr.  Gorin's  remarks,  after  a  long  and  honorable 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE.  57 

career  in  exhibiting  and  explaining  the  curi- 
osities of  the  Cave,  with  which  his  name  has 
become  identified,  to  thousands  of  delighted 
visitor's,  departed  this  life  about  eleven  years 
ago. 

Alfred  is  also  dead.  "  Old  Mat,"  as  he  is 
familiarly  called,  who  has  trodden  the  dark  and 
mysterious  paths  of  the  Cave  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  still  lives,  and  may  be  seen  about 
the  hotel,  but  is  no  longer .  on  duty,  yet  he 
thinks  he  is  quite  as  capable  of  exhibiting  the 
Cave  now  as  he  ever  was,  and  believes  that  he 
possesses  more  knowledge  regarding  it  than  any 
one  else. 

From  the  hotel  we  passed  down  the  deep 
ravine  through  the  native  forest,  before  men- 
tioned, along  the  rugged  pathway.  The  pre- 
cipitous and  rocky  character  of  the  path, 
however,  was  not  particularly  observed  until 
our  return  at  night.  We  then  began  to  wonder 
if  some  freak  of  nature  had  not  occurred  in  our 
absence  to  cause  the  picturesque  and  rather 
easy-graded  path  of  the  morning  to  present  a 
nearly  perpendicular  front,  every  small  stone 
that  lay  in  the  way  to  attain  the  proportions  of 
an  insurmountable  rock,  and  the  fourth  of  a  mile 
that  we  had  passed  so  easily  and  so  pleasantly 


58  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

in  the  morning  to  be  lengthened  out  to  at  least 
three  times  that  distance  !  Then  we  were  ready 
to  exclaim,  "  0,  for  a  horse  !" 

Upon  reaching  the  entrance,  which  we  (Jo  by 
descending  the  steep  bank  leading  to  it  by 
means  of  rough  stone  steps,  the  guides  im- 
mediately proceed  to  light  the  lamps,  which 
are  kept  within  the  mouth  of  the  Cave  for  the 
use  of  visitors. 

Proceeding  a  few  steps,  each  with  lamp  in 
hand,  we  plunged  into  almost  total  darkness, 
our  aids  to  sight  appearing  to  afford  but  little 
light  to  our  unaccustomed  eyes.  We  were 
ready  to  despair  of  ever  getting  a  view  of  the 
beauties  of  the  Cave  with  such  limited  means 
of  illumination.  But  in  a  few  moments,  our 
pupils  having  had  time  to  expand,  and  adapt 
themselves  to  the  sudden  change  from  light 
to  darkness,  we  were  gratified  to  discover  that 
we  could  obtain  a  very  satisfactory  view  of  the 
dark  interior. 

Upon  entering  the  Cave  for  the  first  time,  we 
feel  the  force  of  the  words  of  Dante : 

"  Who  enters  here  leaves  hope  behind." 

This  is  literally  true,  but  not,  however,  in  the 
terrible   sense   implied  by  the  poet.      We  not 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  59 

only  leave  hope,  but  we  leave  care  and  sorrow 
and  all  the  feelings  that  make  up  the  sum  of 
our  mundane  existence,  in  the  world  behind  us. 
We  really  enter  a  new  phase  of  life.  We 
forget,  for  a  time,  the  life  we  have  lived  before. 
Here  we  find  no  objects  of  comparison, — nothing 
to  remind  us  of  our  pre-existence.  It  is  worth 
a  visit  to  the  Cave  to  experience  these  new  and 
extraordinary  sensations. 

We  first  enter  a  small  archway  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Cave,  called  the  Narrows.  The  sides  are 
walled  up  with  rock,  which  the  saltpetre  manu- 
facturers removed  from  the  floor  at  this  point  to 
allow  of  easy  ingress. 

After  leaving  the  Narrows,  the  ceiling  of  which 
is  about  seven  feet  high,  and  which  does  not  pos- 
sess any  special  interest,  the  Rotunda  is  entered. 

The  Rotunda  is  said  to  be  situated  immedi- 
ately under  the  dining-room  of  the  Cave  Hotel. 
The  ceiling  of  the  Rotunda  is  about  one  hun- 
dred feet  high,  and  its  greatest  diameter  is  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  feet. 

The  floor  is  strewn  with  the  remains  of  vats, 
water-pipes,  and  other  materials  used  by  the 
'saltpetre  miners  in  1812.  The  wood  of  which 
they  are  made  is  in  a  remarkable  state  of  pres- 
ervation. 


60  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

To  the  right  of  the  Rotunda,  Audubon's  Ave- 
nue leads  off  for  about  half  a  mile,  to  a  collec- 
tion of  stalactites.  During  the  winter,  millions 
of  bats  hibernate  in  this  avenue.  At  the  en- 
trance of  Audubon's  Avenue  several  small  cot- 
tages, which  were  built  for  the  residence  of  per- 
sons afflicted  with  consumption,  are  still  to  be 
seen. 

On  leaving  the  Rotunda  and  passing  the  huge 
overhanging  cliffs  to  the  left,  which  are  called 
the  Kentucky  River  Cliffs,  from  their  close  re- 
semblance to  the  cliffs  of  that  river,  the  Meth- 
odist Church  is  entered.  This  apartment  is 
eighty  feet  in  diameter,  by  about  forty  in  height. 
Here,  we  are  told,  from  the  gallery  or  pulpit, 
which  consists  of  a  ledge  of  rocks  twenty-five 
feet  in  height,  the  Gospel  was  expounded  more 
than  fifty  years  ago.  The  logs  used  as  benches 
occupy  the  same  position  which  they  did  when 
first  placed  in  the  church. 

It  is  customary  for  visitors  to  leave  their 
shawls  or  overcoats,  if  required  outside,  tit  this 
point,  there  being  no  variation  of  temperature 
beyond. 

Next  in  order  is  "  Wandering  Willie's  Spring," 
a  beautifully-fluted  niche  in  the  left-hand  wall, 
caused  by  the  continual  attrition  of  water  trick- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  61 

ling  down  into  a  basin  below.  This  spring  is 
said  to  have  derived  its  name  from  an  eccentric 
young  country  violinist,  who,  in  the  spirit  of  ro- 
mance, assumed  the  name  of  Wandering  Willie. 
He  became  separated  from  his  companions  while 
within  the  Cave,  had  his  lamp  extinguished,  and 
was  found  lying  asleep  beside  the  spring.  This 
spring  is  about  half  a  mile  from  the  entrance  of 
the  Cave 

We  pass  the  Gothic  Galleries,  which  lead  to 
Gothic  Avenue,  of  which  we  shall  have  occasion 
to  speak  hereafter,  and  the  Grand  Arch  is  en- 
tered, which  leads  to  the  Giant's  Cofhn.  This 
arch  is  about  fifty  feet  high  and  sixty  wide. 

The  Standing  Rocks  are  found  to  the  left  of 
the  path  ;  they  are  many  tons  in  weight,  and 
have  evidently  fallen  from  above,  standing  with 
the  base  upwards,  extending  eight  or  ten  feet 
above  the  floor.  They  maintain  their  upright 
position  from  the  fact  that  the  earth  was  pene- 
trated in  the  fall  while  in  a  soft  state..  The 
avenue,  however,  has  been  perfectly  dry  since 
its  first  discovery. 

A  short  distance  beyond,  on  the  right,  the 
guide  bids  us  stop,  and  asks  what  we  see  before 
us.  We""  hold  up  our  lamps,  and  all  cry  out 
simultaneously,  in  an   awe-struck   tone,  "A  cof- 

6 


62  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

fin !"  We  are  then  informed  that  we  behold 
the  Giant's  Coffin.  This  immense  sarcophagus 
is  a  huge  rock,  forty  feet  long,  twenty  wide,  and 
eight  in  depth,  and,  at  the  point  from  which  it  is 
viewed,  presents  a  striking  resemblance  to  a 
coffin.  It  has  been  detached  from  the  side  of 
the  avenue  against  which  it  rests. 

On  the  ceiling,  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  Giant's 
Coffin,  and  looking  into  the  Deserted  Chamber, 
is  the  figure  of  an  ant-eater.  It  is  composed 
of  the  efflorescence  of  black  gypsum,  and  rests 
upon  a  background  of  w^hite  limestone.  Bayard 
.Taylor,  W'hose  extensive  travels  enable  him  to 
speak  authoritatively,  says  that  the  resemblance 
of  the  figure  to  the  animal  after  which  it  is 
named  is  very  perfect. 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  Giant's  Coffin,  in 
the  Main  Cave,  after  passing  w^iat  is  called  the 
Acute  Angle,  a  group  of  figures  is  observed  on 
the  ceiling,  termed  the  Giant,  Wife,  and  Child. 
These,  figures  are  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  the 
Giant  appears  to  be  in  the  act  of  passing  the 
Child  to  the  Giantess.  They  are  also  composed 
of  black  gypsum,  which  rests  on  a  white  back- 
ground. 

Still  farther  on,  the  figure  of  a  colosfeal  mam- 
moth may  be  seen  on  the  ceiling. 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  63 

From  the  Giant's  Coffin  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Cave,  wheel-tracks,  and  the  impressions  of  the 
feet  of  the  oxen  used  to  cart  tiie  saltpetre, 
made  over  fifty  years  ago,  may  be  distinctly 
seen.  The  earth,  at  the  time  that  these  im- 
pressions were  made,  was  in  a  moist  condition, 
having  ^recently  undergone  the  process  of  lixi- 
viation  in  the  manufacture  of  saltpetre,  and, 
upon  drying,  attained  an  almost  stony  soli- 
dity. These  tracks  are  on  the  immediate  route 
of  travel,  and  have  been  walked  over  by 
thousands  of  visitors  during  a'  period  of  sixty 
years.  Yet  the  cleft  foot  of  the  ox,  and  the 
regular  indentations  of  the  cart-wheel,  can  be 
plainly  distinguished  in  the  petrified  earth. 
At  one  point  we  were  shown  where  the  oxen 
were  fed ;  and,  by  the  aid  of  a  stick,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  digging  out  of  the  dry  earth  two  or 
three  impacted  corn-cobs,  in  a  good,  state  of 
preservation ;  and  we  are  perfectly  satisfied  that 
they  had  not  been  placed  there  for  purposes 
of  deception,  as  has  been  suggested  by  some 
parties. 

We  were  puzzled,  at  first,  to  understand 
how  the  oxen  and  carts  could  be  got  into  the 
Cave, — the  descent  to  the  entrance  being  so 
precipitous  and  the  mouth  so  contracted.     The 


64  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

guide  suggested  that  the  oxen  were  introduced 
separately,  and  the  carts  in  piecemea4. 

On  the  route  from  the  Acute  Angle  to  the 
Star  Chamber,  several  stone  cottages,  formerly 
inhabited  by  the  invalids  already  mentioned, 
are  still  standing, — gloomy  monuments  of  their 
departed  occu23ants.  One  of  these  cottages  is 
used  as  a  card-room,  where  hundreds  of  private 
and  business  cards  may  be  found. 

We  are  now  upon  what  is  known  as  the  Long 
Route,  and  we  leave  the  Main  Cave  at  the  foot 
of  the  Giant's  Coffin, 

One  by  one  we  pass  into  a  crevice  behind  the 
Coffin,  at  the  bottom  whereof  yawns  a  narrow 
hole.  Half  stooping,  half  crawling,  we  descend 
through  an  irregular,  contracted  passage  to  a 
basement  hall  called  the  Deserted  Chamber. 

The  Deserted  Chamber  is  a  gloomy,  aban- 
doned-looking hall,  and  is  fully  entitled  to  the 
name  given  it.  This  is  the  point  at  which  the 
water  left  the  Main  Cave  to  reach  Echo  River, 
after  it  had  ceased  to  flow  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  former  into  Green  River.  In  other  re- 
spects it  is  not  of  particular  interest. 

The  two  illustrations  which  accompany  this 
part  of  our  text — "Entrance  to  the  Long 
Route,"  and  the  "  Deserted  Chamber" — give  the 


E:NTIIA^CE  TO"LONG-IIOUTE' 


DESERTED   CHA:MBER 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  65 

reader  a  very  correct  idea  of  the  singularly  wild 
and  extraordinary  surroundings  in  this  part  of 
the  Cave.*  The  entrance  to  the  Long  Route  is 
effected,  as  has  been  already  stated,  through  the 
narrow  passage  around  the  far  end  of  the  Giant's 
Coffin.  The  guide  is  seen  just  entering  the 
contracted  avenue.  The  next  view  represents 
the  guide  as  having  accomplished  the  passage 
upon  which  we  saw  liim  entering,  and  as  having 
reached  the  dreary-looking  "  Deserted  Chamber." 
He  carries  upon  his  arm  the  basket  of  provisions 
for  dinner.  This  chamber  is  about  one  hundred 
feet  in  length,  but  the  ceiling,  as  may  be  seen, 
is  quite  low. 

An  apartment  known  as  the  Wooden  Bowl 
Cave  is  next  entered.  It  derives  its  name  from 
the  tradition  that  a  wooden  bowl,  such  as  was 
formerly  used  by  the  Indians,  was  found '  in  it 


*  Our  lithographic  plates  are  copied  from  'pliotograiihs,  to 
the  perfect  accuracy  of  which  we  can  testify.  Forty-two  stereo- 
scopic views,  taken  within  and  about  the  Cave,  have  been  pub- 
lished. The  interior  views  were  obtained  by  the  aid  of  the 
magnesium  light,  the  most  intense  artificial  light  that  has  yet 
been  produced.  This  set  of  views,  which  we  recommend  to 
the  attentipa  of  our  readers,  constitutes  a  novel  and  most  tri- 
umphant application  of  the  photographic  art,  and  materially  aids 
in  the  comprehension  of  our  language  as  we  treat  upon  tlie-so 
unique  curiosities.  They  are  published  by  Messrs.  Anthony  & 
•>.'o.,  of  New  York. 

G* 


66  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

when  it  was  first  discovered.  The  chamber 
itself  is  shaped  like  an  inverted  bowj,  which  fact 
may  have  suggested  the  name. 

It  is  said  that  the  Indians  formerly  explored 
the  Cave  with  long  reeds,  filled  with  deer's  fat, 
to  light  them  along. 

Black  Snake  Avenue,  which  enters  the  Main 
Cave  near  the  stone  cottages,  communicates  with 
Wooden  Bowl  Cave.  It  receives  its  name  from 
its  serpentine  course  and  black  walls.  It  is 
rarely  shown  to  visitors,  as  it  possesses  but  few 
objects  of  interest. 

We  next  pass  a  steep  declivity  and  a  flight  of 
steps,  called  the  Steps  of  Time,  and  enter  Mar- 
tha's Palace.  The  Palace  is  about  forty  feet  in 
height,  and  sixty  in  diameter.  It  is  not  partic- 
ularly attractive,  and  it  appears  singular  that  it 
should  have  been  accorded  so  grand  a  name. 
A  short  distance  beyond  Martha's  Palace  is  a 
spring  of  clear,  potable  water,  which  visitors 
generally  take  advantage  of  to  quench  their 
thirst,  as  there  is  a  considerable  distance,  in 
some  parts  of  the  Cave,  between  the  fountains 
of  good  drinking-water. 

The  Side-Saddle  Pit,  over  which  rests  a  dome 
sixty  feet  in  height,  is  reached  by  passing 
through  what  is  called  the  Arxjhed  Way;  the 


BOTTOMLESS  PIT  AND   BKTOGE  OF  SIGHS . 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  67 

walls,  floor,  and  ceiling  of  which  bear  evidence 
that  it  was  once  the  channel  of  running  water. 
This  Pit  is  ninety  feet  deep,  and  at  its  widest 
part  about  twenty  feet  across. 

About  twenty  feet  -to  the  left  of  the  Side- 
Saddle  Pit  is  situated  Minerva's  Dome.  It  is 
fifty  feet  in  height,  and  ten  in  width.  It  is 
a  miniature  representation  of  Gorin's  Dome, 
hereafter  to  be  noticed.  The  Dome  and  Pit 
have  been  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock  by  the  sol- 
vent action  of  water  containing  carbonic  acid  in 
solution.     They  are  still  enlarging. 

The  aperture  leading  to  the  Pit  presents  the 
outlines  of  a  lady's  saddle ;  hence  the  name. 

We  next  arrive  at  the  brink  of  the  Bottom- 
less Pit.  The  very  name  causes  us  to  shrink 
with  terror ;  but  we  are  presently  reassured  by 
finding  it  to  be  a  misnomer.  The  Pit,  which 
doubtless-  appeared  bottomless  to  the  first  discov- 
erers, if  we  credit  Mr.  Horace  Martin,  has  since 
been  found  to  be  but  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  feet  in  depth. 

The  Bottomless  Pit  was  formerly  the  limit  of 
excursions  in  this  direction.  It  Avas  not  until 
•the  year  1838,  we  are  informed,  that  any  trav- 
eler ever  passed  beyond  this  frightful  chasm.  In 
that  year  the  Pit,  as  has  been  stated  in   Mr. 


68  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Gorin's  letter,  was  spanned  by  a  substantial 
wooden  bridge  known  as  the  "Bridge  of  Sighs;" 
and  then  was  discovered  the  most  beautiful  and 
interesting  portion  of  the  Cave. 

Shelby's  Dome,  which  is  sixty  feet  in  height, 
rests  directly  over  the  Bottomless  Pit.  The  Pit 
and  Dome  have  been  formed,  and  are  still  en- 
larging, by  the  same  causes  that  excavated  the 
Side-Saddle  Pit.       ' 

Immediately  beyond  the  Bottomless  Pit  a 
room  is  entered,  called  the  Revelers'  Hall,  which 
is  about  twenty  feet  in  height  and  forty  in 
diameter. 

Here  it  is  the  custom  of  visitors  to  rest  for  a 
short  time  and  discuss  the  terrors  of  the  Pit. 
This  is  generally  followed  by  bringing  forth  the 
potables,  when  the  safety  and  health  of  all  par- 
ties are  duly  toasted.  So  says  Dr.  Wright;  and 
so  will  every  visitor  say  when  he  observes  the 
imrftense  quantity  of  broken  and  unbroken  bot- 
tles strewn  about  the  floor  of  this  wild-looking 
HalU 

After  passing  through  a  low  archway,  about 
four  feet  in  height,  very  properly  termed  the 
Valley  of  Humility,  the  ceiling  of  which  is 
smooth  and  white  and  appears  as  though  it 
had  been  plastered,  the    Scotchman's   Trap  is 


TTEWFROM  BETD&EOF  SIGHS 


Tltc-l/uyal  StcanL  Zlth^ijl  ^nUa^ 


scotchma:^'s  teap 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  69 

entered.  The  Trap  is  a  circular  opening, 
through  which  it  is  necessary  to  pass  by  de- 
scending a  flight  of  steps.  It  is  about  five  feet 
in  diameter,  over  which  is  suspended  a  huge 
rock,  like  a  dead-fall,  by  an  apparently  slight 
support,  which,  if  it  were  to  fall,  would  com- 
pletely close  the  avenue  leading  to  Echo  River. 
If,  however,  this  opening  should  become  closed, 
we  will  state,  for  the  comfort  of  the  timid,  that 
there  are  three  ways  by  which  an  escape  might 
be  effected.  Thus :  there  is  an  avenue  beyond 
it,  which  enters  the  bottom  of  the  Bottomless 
Pit,  from  which  a  person  might  be  drawn  up  by 
means  of  ropes ;  another  avenue  of  escape  would 
be  by  Bunyan's  Way,  which  leads  into  Pensa- 
cola  Avenue;  and  a  third,  by  Sparks'  Avenue 
and  Mammoth  Dome.  The  accompanying 
figure  shows  this  Trap,  with  the  guide  stand- 
ing at  the  head  of  the  steps. 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  Scotchman's 
Trap,  in  what  is  termed  the  Lower  Branch, 
there  is  found  a  curiously-shaped  rock,  named 
the  Shanghai  Chicken,  from  its  fancied  resem- 
blance to  that  unsightly  fowl. 

The  next  curiosity  of  note  that  is  reached  in 
our  progress  is  one  possessing  great  interest  to 
men,  and  to  women  also,  who  are  blessed  with  a 


70  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

respectable  physical  development.  This  place 
of  attraction  has  been  accorded  the^ euphonious 
name  of  "  Fat  Man's  Misery." 

Fat  Man's  Misery  is  a  narrow,  tortuous 
avenue,  fifty  yards  in  length,  which  has  been 
cut  out  of  the  solid  rock  by  the  mechanical 
action  of  the  water.  The  lower  part  of  the 
avenue  varies  in  width  from  eighteen  inches 
to  three  feet ;  and  the  upper  part, — that  is,  from 
the  height  of  a  man's  chest  to  the  head, — from 
four  to  ten  feet.  In  height  it  varies  from  four 
to  eight  feet, — the  greater  part  of  the  distance 
averaging  but  four  feet, — thus  requiring  the 
passenger  to  assume  a  stooping  position,  which 
is  exceedingly  painful  to  the  back. 

Contrary  to  the  general  impression,  says  Dr. 
Wright,  there  never  was  a  man  too  large  to  pass 
through  Fat  Man's  Misery.  This  is  an  error. 
We  have  known  more  than  one  individual, 
weighing  over  four  hundred  pounds,  who  could 
not  possibly  have  effected  the  passage.  Bayard 
Taylor  says  that  the  weight  of  the  largest  man 
who  ever  accomplished  this  narrow  way  was 
two  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  and  he  thinks 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  a  man  of  greater 
weight  to  see  the  sights  beyond. 

A  hall  of  novel   appearance,  very  appropri- 


T!ie  Jltaai  Jteajn  mM.  Co  Fhila. 


BAG  01^  CHAMBER. 


THE    MAMMOTU    CAVE.  71 

ately  denominated  Great  Relief,  after  the  ex- 
perience of  bended  backs  and  compressed  sides 
in  the  passage  of  Fat  Man's  Misery,  is  next 
entered.  This  hall  varies  in  width  from  forty 
to  sixty  feet,  and  in  height  from  five  to  twenty 
feet.  From  the  ceiling  project  immense- nodules 
of  ferruginous  limestone. 

On  the  floor  of  Great  Relief,  the  direction  of 
the  current  of  water  that  filled  these  avenues 
can  be  traced.  Thus,  at  the  side  next  Fat 
Man's  Misery  it  is  strewn  with  gravel,  near  the 
center  sand  occurs,  and  still  farther  on  mud  is 
deposited, — demonstrating  the  fact  that  it  flowed 
into  Echo  River. 

The  avenue  termed  Bunyan's  Way  passes 
directly  over  Great  Relief,  and  enters  a  short 
distance  from  Fat  Man's  Misery,  by  which 
communication  is  established  with  Pensacola 
Avenue.  ^ 

The  portion  of  the  avenue  in  advance,  which 
extends  from  Great  Relief,  to  -the  River  Styx,  is 
called  River  Hall.  It  varies  in  width  from 
forty  to  sixty  feet. 

The  Bacon  Chamber  is  situated  to  the  right 
of  River  Hall.  This  chamber  is  decidedly 
curious,  and  the  name  singularly  appropriate. 
Here  may  be  seen  a  fine  collection  of  limestone 


72  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

hams  and  slioulders  suspended  from  the  ceiling, 
as  in  a  smoke-house.  They  were  formed  by  the 
solvent  action  of  water  charged  with  carbonic 
acid,  at  the  time  when  the  lower  portion  of  them 
rested  against  a  stratum  of  rock  which  has  since 
been  detached. 

The  avenue  which  leads  to  the  Mammoth 
Dome  and  Sparks'  Avenue  takes  its  orighi  in 
the  Bacon  Chamber. 

About  forty  feet  below  the  terrace  which 
leads  to  the  Natural  Bridge  is  a  body  of  water, 
fifteen  feet  deep,  twenty  wide,  and  fifty  feet  jn 
length,  termed  the  Dead  Sea.  It  is  quite  as 
gloomy,  we  are  told,  as  its  celebrated  name- 
sake. Mr.  Martin  says,  "  The  name  so  awful 
and  so  referable  to  awful  events  cannot  be 
better  illustrated  than  here.  There  is  a  terrible 
grandeur  in  the  place.  Long  after  you  have  left 
it,  the  mind's  eye  continues  cognizant  of  its  many 
sights,  the  ear  of  its  many  sounds.  The  mem- 
ory holds  them,  and  they  ever  haunt  the  dreams 
of  night." 

When  this  part  of  the  Cave  was  first  dis- 
covered, the  Dead  Sea  was  passed  on  the  terrace 
over  its  left  bank;- this  passage,  however,  was 
attended  with  great  danger. 

By   a    curious    anomaly,   our     teachings    in 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  73 

heathen   mythology  are  reversed  in  the  Mam- 
moth Cave.     Here  we   pass  the   Bottomless  Pit 
before   reaching   the    River    Styx, — instead    of 
w  ferrying   over    the  latter    on    our  way  to    the 

former ! 

The  "  Visitor"  (whose  work  was  published  by 
Morton  &  Griswold,  Louisville)  remarks,  "  He 
who  could  paint  the  infinite  variety  of  creation 
can  alone  give  an  adequate  idea  of  this  marvel- 
ous region.  As  you  pass  along,  you  hear  the 
roar  of  invisible  waterfalls ;  and  at  the  foot  of 
the  slope  the  River  Styx  lies  before  you,  deep 
and  black,  overarched  with  rock.  The  first 
glimpse  of  it  brings  to  mind  the  descent  of 
Ulysses  into  hell, 

'  Where  the  dark  rock  o'erhangs  the  infernal  lake, 
And  mingling  streanas  eternal  murmurs  make.'" 

The  River  Styx  is  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  long,  from  fifteen  to  forty  in  width,  and 
in  depth  varies  from  thirty  to  forty  feet.  It  has 
a  subterranean  communication  with  other  rivers 
of  the  Cave,  and,  when  Green  River  rises  to  a 
considerable  height,  has  an  open  communication 
with  all  of  them. 

The  Natural  Bridge  spans  the  River  Styx, 
and  is  about  thirty  feet  above  it.     When  the 

7 


74  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

farther  bank  of  the  River  Styx  is  illuminated 
with  a  Bengal  light,  the  view  from  th-e  Natural 
Bridge  is  awfully  sublime. 

Our  attention  is  next  drawn  to  a  silent,  peace- 
ful-looking body  of  water,  called  Lake  Lethe. 
This  lake  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  long, 
from  ten  to  forty  feet  wide,  and  in  depth  varies 
from  three  to  thirty  feet.  The  ceiling  of  the 
avenue  at  this  point  is  ninety  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  lake.  Lake  Lethe  extends  in 
the  direction  of  the  avenue,  the  floor  of  which 
is  covered  by  it. 

The  lake  is  crossed  in  boats.  On  the  occa- 
sion of  our  visit  the  boat  was  not  sufficiently 
large  to  carry  all  of  our  party  at  one  time ;  it 
was  therefore  necessary  that  a  number  of  us 
should  remain  for  the  second  trip.  We  sat 
down  upon  the  dark  shore  and  watched  the 
boat  glide  slowly  away.  The  novel  scene  was 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  production  of  a  last- 
ing impression  upon  the  imagination  of  the 
beholder, — the  boat  moving  slowly  and  noise- 
lessly over  the  water,  carrying  its  phantom-like 
freight,  dressed  in  their  fanciful  costumes,  the 
dim  lamps  throwing  fitful  flashes  of  light  and 
shadow  on  the  rippled  surface,  and  through  the 
darkness  to  the  high  ceiling  above;  then,  as  we 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  75 

silently  gazed,  with  unutterable  thoughts,  the 
boat  and  its  specter-like  voyagers  passed  entirely 
from  our  view  around  a  projecting  angle  of 
rock;  darkness  reigned  upon  the  face  of  the 
waters,  as  in  primeval  chaos ;  a  long  breath  was 
taken,  and  some  abortive  efforts  were  made  to 
express  our  feelings.  After  a  brief  interval  of 
darkness,  the  Charon  of  this  stream,  with  his 
solitary  lamp  in  the  prow  of  his  rude  boat,  re- 
appears in  the  distance,  returning  for  those  left 
behind.  The  feelings  inspired  by  this  scene, 
we  say,  were  of  a  character  that  can  never  be 
forgotten,  and  such,  perhaps,  as  could  be  expe- 
rienced under  no  other  circumstances;  for  no 
counterpart  of  the  surroundings  are  known  to 
exist. 

Being  fatigued  and  thirsty,  on  our  return  from 
far  beyond,  we  drank  of  the  waters  of  Lethe, 
without,  however,  forgetting  our  troubles, — sore 
feet  and  w^ak  knees ! 

Upon  disembarking  on  the  opposite  shore 
of  Lake  Lethe,  we  enter  Great  Walk,  which 
extends  from  the  lake  to  Echo  River,  a  distance 
of  five  hundred  yards. 

The  ceiling  is  forty  feet  high,  and  the  rocks 
which  compose  it  present  a  striking  resemblance 
to  cumulus  clouds.     They  are  composed  of  white 


76  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

limestone.     The   floor   is   covered  with   yellow 
sand. 

It  requires  a  rise  of  only  five  feet  of  water  in 
Echo  River  to  overflow  Great  Walk ;  and  that 
depth  is  sufficient  to  allow  boats  to  float  between 
the  lake  and  the  river.  There  are  times,  we 
are  informed,  when  Great  Walk  is  filled  with 
water  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling.  Extraor- 
dinary as  the  statement  may  appear,  it  is  not 
an  uncommon  occurrence  for  the  water  to  rise 
to  the  height  of  sixty  feet  in  Lake  Lethe,  at 
which  times  the  iron  railing  on  the  terrace 
above  the  Dead  Sea  is  entirely  submerged. 
This  great  rise  of  water  is  produced  by  freshets 
in  Green  River. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

ECHO   RIVER. 

We  next  arrive  at  the  banks  of  Echo  River. 

"Darkly  tlioa  glidest  onward, 
Thou  deep  and  hidden  wave  ! 
The  laughing  sunshine  hath  not  look'd 
Into  thy  secret  Cave. 

"Thy  current  makes  no  music — 
A  hollow  sound  we  hear, 
A  mufiBed  voice  of  mystery. 
And  know  that  thou  art  near. 

"  No  bright  line  of  verdure 
Follows  thy  lonely  way. 
No  fairy  moss  or  lily's  cup 
Is  freshened  by  thy  play." 

Connected  with  this  river  are,  perhaps,  some 
of  the  most  delightful  of  the  multitude  of  im- 
pressions that  we  receive  in  the  Cave.  There 
are  sights  more  gorgeous,  more  awful,  more 
sublime,  but  nowhere  are  the  senses  of  sight 
and  sound  so  beautifully  and  so  charmingly 
brought   into   unison.     In    point   of   sublimity, 

7*  (11) 


78  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

impressing  the  senses  through  the  sight  alone, 
the  Star  Chamber,  in  the  Main  Cave,. excels  it ; 
but  all  who  are  capable  of  being  agreeably 
affected  by  the  "  concord  of  sweet  sounds"  will 
recall  the  voyage  over  Echo  River  as  the  most 
charming  reminiscence  connected  with  their 
visit  to  the  Mammoth  Cave.  It  is  the  fairy- 
river  that  wafts  upon  its  bosom  the  wandering 
traveler  to  the  mystic  regions  beyond. 

Echo  River  extends  from  Great  AValk  to  the 
commencement  of  Silliman's  Avenue,  a  distance 
of  three-quarters  of  a  mile. 

The  avenue  at  the  entrance  of  Echo  River, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  is  about  three 
feet  in  height,  which,  as  can  be  easily  imagined, 
is  rather  a  contracted  space  for  a  boat  with  its 
human  freight  to  pass  beneath.  A  large  flat- 
boat  is  kept  here,  which  we  found  large  enough 
to  carry  the  entire  number  of  our  party  at  a 
single  trip.  Considerable  stooping  was  neces- 
sary to  pass  under  this  low  arch  on  our  out- 
ward-bound voyage;  but  before  our  return  the 
river  had  risen  several  inches,  so  that  it  w^as 
necessary  to  get  down  on  the  hands  and  knees, 
and  even  lower,  in  order  to  pass  the  arch.  The 
unpleasantness  of  the  situation  may  be  inferred, 
when  it  is  stated  that  the  boat,  in  consequence 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  79 

of  being  frequently  submerged  by  the  rise  of  the 
river,  is  always  wet  and  muddy  in  the  interior. 
In  effecting  our  exit  from  this  narrow  passage 
on  our  return  voyage,  some  ludicrous  incidents 
occurred,  owing  to  the  necessary  sacrifice  of 
grace  and  decorum  on  the  part  of  the  ladies, 
as  well  as  on  that  of  the  gentlemen;  some  of 
the  party  barely  escaping  being  crushed  by  the 
unexpectedly  sudden  descent  of  heavier  indi- 
viduals. 

If  a  disinterested  observer  could  have  wit- 
nessed the  scene  at  this  point, — the  entire  party 
in  every  possible  awkward  position,  stooping 
low,  lying  down,  some  lustily  crying  out  that 
they  were  being  crushed  by  somebody,  some 
laughing,  and  some  complaining  that  the  ceiling 
had  damaged  their  heads, — we  repeat,  if  a  dis- 
interested observer  had  been  present,  the  scene 
would  have  appeared  to  him  as  ludicrous  in  the 
extreme. 

Fortunately,  however,  for  the  comfort  of 
visitors,  this  low  ceiling  does  not  extend  more 
than  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the  entrance ; 
beyond  that  distance  the  average  height  is 
about  fifteen  feet.  At  some  points  the  river  is 
two  hundred  feet  wide.  In  depth  it  varies 
from  ten  to  thirty  feet.     The  ceiling  is  of  an 


80  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

arched  form,  and  is  composed  of  smooth,  solid 
rock, — more  closely  resembling  a  work  of  art 
than  of  Nature. 

From  what  has  been  said  of  the  narrow  open- 
ing at  the  starting-point  on  the  river,  it  may  be 
inferred  that  a  slight  increase  of  water  would 
render  ingress  impossible.  There  is  a  means 
of  escape,  however,  should  any  one  be  caught 
beyond,  by  a  small  side  avenue,  called  Purga- 
tory, which  commences  at  the  end  of  Great 
Walk,  and  terminates  in  the  avenue  of  Echo 
River,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  land- 
ing in  Silliman's  Avenue.  A  rise  of  eighteen 
feet  of  water,  however,  fills  the  avenue  of  Pur- 
gatory, and  cuts  off  all  communication  with  the 
outer  world. 

When  there  is  no  rise  in  Green  River  for 
several  weeks,  the  water  in  Echo  River  becomes 
remarkably  transparent,  so  much  so,  in  fact, 
that  rocks  can  be  seen  ten  or  twenty  feet  below 
the  surface,  and  the  additional  novelty  is  given 
to  the  voyage  of  the  sensation  that  the  boat  is 
gliding  through  the  air.  The  connection  be- 
tween Echo  and  Green  Rivers  is  doubtless  near 
the  commencement  of  Silliman's  Avenue.  When 
Green  River  is  rising.  Echo  River  runs  in  the 
direction  of  Great  Walk  ;  when  it  is  falling,  the 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  81 

current  sets  in  the  opposite  direction.  When 
Green  River  is  neither  rising  nor  falling,  the 
water  of  Echo  Kiver  runs  slowly  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Silliman's  Avenue,  and  is  supplied  from* 
springs  in  the  Cave.  At  such  times  its  tempera- 
ture is  fifty-nine  degrees,  the  same  as  the  uni- 
form temperature  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  Cave. 
When  the  water  of  Green  River  flows  into  Echo 
River  at  a  temperature  higher  than  that  of  the 
Cave,  a  fog  is  produced,  which  in  point  of  den- 
sity, it  is  said,  is  not  inferior  to  that  off  the 
banks  of  Newfoundland.  Inexperienced  persons 
have  been  lost  in  the  fog  on  Echo  River. 

At  the  time  of  our  voyage  across  this  river 
there  was  no  fog,  and  the  water,  though  not 
transparent,  was  beautifully  clear.  After  pro- 
ceeding a  short  distance,  the  guide,  who  stood 
in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  silently  propelling  it  by 
means  of  his  hands,.when  within  reach,  and,  at 
other  times,  by  a  staff  applied  to  the  ceiling 
and  side-walls,  struck  up,  at  short  intervals,  a 
plaintive  note  of  song.  From  the  far  distance, 
as  from  another  world, — we  had  almost  said 
from  the  spirit-world, — came  answering  melo- 
dies, as  though  a  thousand  tongues,  attuned  to 
different  chords,  had  taken  up  the  refrain, 
repeating    it    again    and    again,    fainter    and 


82  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

fainter,  whilst  we  unconsciously  strained  our 
ears  and  stayed  our  breathing  to  catch  the  last 
dying  tone.  Here,  one,  without  effort  of  imag- 
ination, might  easily  conceive  that  he  was  really 
passing  over  the  "dark  river,"  and  within  the 
sound  of  the  choristers  that  stand  upon  the 
celestial  shores  to  welcome  him  onward ! 

Lord  Byron  has  beautifully  described  the  echo 
of  thunder  among  the  mountains : 

"  Far  along, 
From  peak  to  peak,  the  rattling  crags  among, 
Leaps  the  live  thunder !     Not  from  one  lone  cloud, 
But  every  mountain  novF  hath  found  a  tongue, 
And  Jura  answers,  through  her  misty  shroud. 
Back  to  the  joyous  Alps,  who  call  to  her  aloud  1" 

This  picture  lifts  us  to  the  sublime  and  in- 
spires us  with  awe;  but  on  Echo  River  all  is 
calmness  and  peace,  harmony  and  love, — we  for- 
get the  world  behind  us,  we.  forget  our  pre-exist- 
ence,  we  realize  our  ideal  of  an  approach  to 
spiritual  life. 

Two  or  three  of  the  gentlemen  of  our  party, 
in  a  spirit  of  adventure,  made  their  passage 
through  the  rugged  avenue  called  Purgatory. 
They  described  the  trip  as  one  of  exceeding  dif- 
ficulty. After  terminating  their  purgatorial  ex- 
perience and  arriving  at  the  end  of  the  avenue 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  83 

on  Echo  River,  which  they  accomplished  several 
minutes  in  advance  of  the  boat-party,  one  of  the 
gentlemen  fired  a  pistol.  So  remarkable  was  the 
effect  that  it  sounded  to  our  astonished  ears  like 
the  explosion  of  heavy  artillery,  reverberating 
for  a  surprising  length  of  time. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE   EYELESS   FISHES   OP   THE   CAVE. 

As  an  interlude  to  the  descriptive  narrative 
of  the  scenery  observed  in  our  journey  through 
the  Cave,  we  will  stop  here  to  note  the  existence 
of  animal  life,  which  is  remarkable  for  maintain- 
ing vitality  under  circumstances  so  unfavorable 
for  normal  development.  There  are  to  be  found 
in  the  Cave  eyeless  fish,  eyeless  crawfish,  lizards, 
frogs,  crickets,  rats,  bats,  etc., — all,  except  the 
two  first  named,  being  possessed  of  more  or  less 
development  of  the  visual  organs. 

In  Echo  River  we  find  the  eyeless  fish  and 
the  eyeless  crawfish.  These  specimens  of  the 
fish  tribe  have  been  looked  upon  by  all  classes 
of  persons,  ever  since  the  first  published  notice 
of  their  existence,  as  remarkable  curiosities. 
They  illustrate,  however,  a  fixed  rule  in  the 
great  laws  of  Nature.  The  presiding  Deity 
never  supplies  any  living  creature  with  super- 
fluous organs ;  and  if  organs  already  exist  which 
future  circumstances  render  useless,  they  arc 
(84) 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  85 

eventually  obliterated.  In  the  never-ceasing 
darkness  of  the  Cave,  eyes  are  unnecessary  or- 
gans to  the  fish  that  live  in  its  waters.  We 
have  every  reason  to  believe  that  these  fish  were 
originally  possessed  of  eyes ;  but  after  their  in- 
troduction into  the  Cave,  and  perhaps  centuries 
of  existence  there,  these  useless  organs  grad- 
ually, through  many  generations,  lost  their  ori- 
ginal character,  and  finally  disappeared,  only  a- 
trace  of  the  orbit  remaining.* 

Some  months  after  our  visit  to  the  Cave  our 
attention  was  drawn  to  a  newspaper  article,  from 
an  anonymous  writer,  which  we  believe  originally 
appeared  in  the  Chicago  ''Tribune,"  August  18, 
18G7.  The  writer  contended  that  the  permanent 
inhabitants  of  the  Cave  were  not  only  blind,  but 
deaf  also.  The  original  letter  in  the  "  Tribune"' 
was  entitled  "Important  Scientific  Observations," 


*  "  Their  exclusion  from  tiie  solar  beam  is  well  known  to  pro- 
duce organic  alterations  in  the  visual  organs  of  animals,  such  as 
atrophy  of  the  optic  nerve,  or  those  portions  of  the  brain  (the 
corpora  quadrigemina)  more  immediately  associated  with  the 
sight.  It  is  supposed  that  the  blindness  observed  among  fish 
found  in  the  dark  caves  of  the  Tyrol  and  Kentucky  arises  from 
the  arrest  in  the  development  of  the  eyes  as  the  result  of  a  con- 
stant deprivation  of  light." — Light:  its  Influence  on  Life  and 
Health.  By  Forbes  Winslow,  M.D.,  etc.,  American  ed.  New 
York:  Moorhead,  Simpson  &  Bond,  18G8,  p.  13. 

8 


86  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

etc.,  made  in  the  Mammoth  Cave.  Feeling  in- 
terested in  everything  connected  with  the  Cave, 
particularly  the  scientific  observations,  we  read 
the  letter  with  more  than  ordinary  attention,  but 
were  disappointed  to  discover  that  mere  conjec- 
tures of  a  sensational  character  were  presented 
to  the  uninformed  public  as  the  result  of  scien- 
tific investigations.  The  writer  begins  by  say- 
.ing,  "Will  you  permit  me  through  the  columns 
of  your  paper  to  invite  attention  to  some  very 
remarkable  natural  facts,  communicated  to  me 
by  Dr.  (naming  a  physician),  of  this  city,  which 
came  under  his  observation  during  a  visit  of  sci- 
entific research  to  that  geological  freak  of  nature, 
the  Mammoth  Cave  ?  They  seem  to  be  worthy 
of  record,  but,  as  the  doctor  modestly  intimated, 
may  have  been  the  subject  of  observation  by 
others  as  well  as  himself,  although  perhaps  not 
possessing  the  same  degree  of  interest.  Keenly 
alive  to  everything,  however  remotely  connected 
with  his  favorite  profession,  the  doctor,  it  seems, 
was  perfectly  astonished  at  the  fixed  and  chronic 
state  of  blindness  and  deafness  in  which  he  found 
the  permanent  inhabitants  of  the  Cave.  These 
beings,  it  appears,  are  not  only  without  eyes,  or 
even  the  trace  of  an  orbit,  but,  so  far  as  could 
be  ascertained  by  careful  and  indefatigable  in- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  87 

vestigation,  evidently  destitute  of  the  sense  of 
hearing."  This  writer  bases  his  theory  upon  the 
assumption  that  there  is  no  sound  in  the  Cave  to 
produce  vibrations  upon  ihe  auditory  nerve,  for- 
getting that  the  animals,  the  rats  particularly, 
cause  sounds  by  their  own  voices  and  move- 
ments. He  does  not  confine  his  remarks,  as  to 
the  deficiency  of  sight  and  hearing,  to  the  fishes, 
but  includes  all  "  the  permanent  inhabitants  of 
the  Cave." 

A  portion  of  the  said  letter  was  afterward 
copied  in  some  of  the  medical  journals,  and, 
among  others,  in  the  "  Medical  and  Surgical  Re- 
porter," of  Philadelphia,  vol.  xvii.  p.  479  (Nov. 
30, 1867).  We  took  occasion  in  a  subsequent 
number  of  the  same  journal  to  express  our  dis- 
sent from  the  promulgation  of  such  unsupported 
assertions,  and  called  upon  the  author  for  the  ex- 
periments which  were  said  to  have  been  insti- 
tuted for  determining  the  absence  of  the  organ 
of  hearing  in  the  inhabitants  of  the  Cave.  He 
replied  in  an  evasive  and  somewhat  surly  man- 
ner, without  giving  any  experiments  or  argu- 
ments to  sustain  his  theory. 

We  will  first  describe  the  general  character- 
istics of  the  fish,  and  afterward  recur  to  the 
point  above  referred  to. 


88  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

The  fish  are  of  a  peculiar  species,  and  are  of 
a  class  known  as  viviparous,  which  give  birth  to 
their  young  alive,  and  do  not  deposit  eggs  after 
the  manner  of  most  other  fish.  They  have  ru- 
diments of  eyes,  but  no  optic  nerve,  and  are 
therefore  incap  <ble  of  being  affected  by  any  de- 
gree of  light.  We  are  indebted  to  Dr.  Wright, 
who  is  perfectly  familiar  with  the  facts,  for  this 
statement. 

The  eyeless  crawfish  give  birth  to  their  young 
in  the  same  manner  as  those  provided  with  eyes. 
Both  the  fish  and  the  crawfish  are  of  a  color 
almost  white. 

Ordinary  fish  and  crawfish  are  sometimes 
washed  into  the  Cave  from  Green  River.  Frogs, 
also,  are  occasionally  washed  into  Echo  River, 
and,  at  times,  may  be  heard  croaking  to  the 
echo  of  their  own  voices. 

It  has  been  proven  that  the  ej  eless  fish  prey 
upon  each  other.  In  shape  they  somewhat  re- 
semble the  common  catfish,  and  rarely  exceed 
eight  inches  in  length.  One  of  these  fish  was 
caught  by  the  guide  in  our  presence,  placed  in 
a  bottle  of  water,  and  taken  out  of  the  Cave 
alive,  and  might  have  been  brought  home  with 
us,  without  impairing  its  vitality,  if  supplied 
daily  with  fresh  water.     They  are  captured  by 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  89 

means  of  a  small   scoop-net,  which   is   gently 
carried  beneath  them. 

Professor  B.  Silliman,  Jr.,  who  visited  the  Cave 
in  the  autumn  of  1850,  published  the  following 
observations  on  the  blind  fish  and  the  blind  craw- 
iish,  in  "  Silliman's  Journal"  for  May,  1851 : 

"Of  the  fish  there  are  two  species,  one  of 
which  has  been  described  by  Dr.  Wyman  in  the 
'American  Journal  of  Science,'  and  which  is  en- 
tirely eyeless ;  some  ten  or  twelve  specimens  of 
the  species  were  obtained.  The  second  species 
of  the  fish  is  not  colorless  like  the  first,  and  it 
has  external  eyes,  which,  however,  are  found  to 
be  quite  blind.  The  crawfish,  or  small  Crusta- 
cea, inhabiting  the  rivers  with  the  fish,  are  also 
eyeless,  and  uncolored ;  but  the  larger-eyed  and 
colored  crawfish,  which  are  abundant  within  the 
Cave,  are  also  common,  at  some  seasons,  in  the 
subterranean  rivers,  and  so  also,  it  is  said,  the 
fish  of  Green  River  are  to  be  found  at  times  of 
flood  in  the  rivers  of  the  Cave.  Among  the 
collections  are  the  larger-eyed  crawfish,  which 
were  caught  by  us  in  the  Cave." 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  feel  inter- 
ested in  the  scientific  characters  and  peculiarities 
of  the  Cave  fish,  we  will  quote  the  observations  of 
two  authorities,  whose  names  are  generally  recog- 

8* 


90  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

nized  and  respected  in  scientific  circles.  In  "  Sil- 
liman's  Journal"  for  January,  1851,, p.  127,  Pro- 
fessor Louis  Agassiz,  perhaps  the  most  eminent 
living  naturalist,  especially  in  the  department 
of  ichthyology,  in  reply  to  a  letter  of  inquiry 
from  the  senior  editor  of  the  "Journal,"  remarks, 

"  The  blind  fish  of  the  Mammoth  Cave  was 
for  the  first  time  described  in  1842,  in  the  Zool- 
ogy of  New  York,  by  Dr.  Dekay,  Part  3d,  page 
187,  under  the  name  of  'Amblyopsis  spelaeus,' 
and  referred,  with  doubt,  to  the  family  of  '  Silu- 
ridge,'  on  account  of  a  remote  resemblance  to 
my  genus  Cetopsis.  Dr.  J.  Wyman  has  pub- 
lished a  more  minute  description  of  it,  with  very 
interesting  anatomical  details,  in  vol.  xlv.  of  the 
^American  Journal  of  Science  and  Arts,'  1843, 
page  94. 

"In  1844  Dr.  Tellkampf  published  a  more 
extended  description,  with  figures,  in  'Miiller's 
Archiv' for  1844,  and  mentioned  several  other 
animals  found  also  in  the  Cave,  among  which  the 
most  interesting  is  a  Crustacean,  which  he  calls 
'Astacus  pellucidus,'  already  mentioned,  but  not 
described,  by  Mr.  Thompson,  President  of  the 
Natural  History  Society  of  Belfast.  Both  Thomp- 
son and  Tellkampf  speak  of  eyes  in  these  spe- 
cies ;  but  they  are  mistaken.     I  have  examined 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  91 

several  specimens,  and  satisfied  myself  that  the 
peduncle  of  the  eye  only  exists ;  but  there  are 
no  visible  facets  at  its  extremity,  as  in  other 
crawfish.* 

"  Mr.  Thompson  mentions,  further,  crickets, 
allied  to  '  Phalangopsis  longipes,'  of  which  Tell- 
kampf  says  that  it  occurs  throughout  the  Cave. 
Of  spiders.  Dr.  Tellkampf  found  two  eyeless, 
small,  white  species,  which  he  calls  •  Phalangodes 
armata'  and  'Anthrobia  monmouthia' — flies,  of 
the  genus  'Anthomyia' — a  minute  shrimp,  called 
by  him  'Triura  cavernicola,'and  two  blind  beetles 
— 'Anophthalmus  Tellkampfii'  of  Erichson,  and 
'Adelops  hirtus;'  of  most  of  which  Dr.  Tell- 
kampf has  published  a  full  description  and 
figures  in  a  subsequent  paper,  inserted  in  Erich- 
son's  Archiv,  1844,  p.  318. 

"  The  infusoria  observed  in  the  Cave  resemble 
'Monas   Kolpoda,'   'Monas  socialis,'  and  '  Bodo 

*  Speaking  of  the  eyes  of  animals,  it  is  remarked  in  the  val- 
uable school-book  of  Professors  Agassiz  and  Gould,  entitled 
"  Principles  of  Zoology,"  Boston,  1859,  "  Others,  which  live  in 
darkness,  have  not  even  rudimentary  eyes,  as,  for  example,  that 
curious  fish  (Amblyopsis  spelceus)  which  lives  in  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  and  which  appears  to  want  even  the  orbital  cavity.  The 
crawfishes  {Astacus  pellucidus)  of  this  same  Cave  are  also  blind, 
having  merely  the  pedicle  for  the  eyes,  without  even  traces  of 
facettes." — p.  .55. 


92  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

intestinalis' — a  new  Chilomonas,  which  he  calls 
'Ch.  emarginata/  and  a  species  allied  to  ^Kolpoda 
cucullus.' 

"As  already  mentioned,  Dekay  has  referred 
the  blind  fish,  with  doubt,  to  the  family  of 
Siluridae  Dr.  Tellkampf,  however,  establishes 
for  it  a  distinct  family.  Dr.  Storer,  in  his 
Synopsis  of  the  Fishes  of  North  America,  pub- 
lished in  1846,  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  is  also  of  opinion 
that  it  should  constitute  a  distinct  family,  to 
which  he  gives  the  new  name  of  '  Hypsseidae,' 
page  435.  From  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
viviparous,  from  the  character  of  its  scales,  and 
from  the  form  and  structure  of  its  head,  I  am 
inclined  to  consider  this  fish  as  an  aberrant  type 
of  my  family  of  Cyprinodonts. 

"You  ask  me  to  give  my  opinion  respecting 
the  primitive  state  of  the  eyeless  animals  of  the 
Mammoth  Cave.  This  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant questions  to  settle  in  Natural  History, 
and  I  have,  several  years  ago,  proposed  a  plan 
for  its  investigation,  which,  if  well  conducted, 
would  lead  to  as  important  results  as  any  series 
of  investigations  which  can  be  conceived;  for  it 
might  settle,  once  and  forever,  the  question,  in 
what   condition   and  where   the    animals   now 


TUE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  93 

living  on  the  earth  were  first  called  into  exist- 
ence. But  the  investigation  would  involve  such 
long  and  laborious  researches,  that  I  doubt 
whether  it  will  ever  be  undertaken.  It  has  oc- 
curred to  me  that  the  final  step  would  be  a 
thorough  anatomical  study  of  the  species  found 
in  the  Cave,  with  extensive  comparison  of  allied 
species  found  elsewhere, — next,  an  investigation 
of  the  embryology  of  all  of  them, — and,  when 
fully  prepared  by  such  researches,  an  attempt  to 
raise  embryos,  of  the  species  found  in  the  Cave, 
under  various  circumstances,  different  from  those 
in  which  they  are  naturally  found  at  present. 

"If  physical  circumstances  ever  modified 
organized  beings,  it  should  be  easily  ascertained 
here.  For  my  own  part,  however,  I  think  that 
the  blind  animals  of  the  Cave  would  only  show 
organs  of  vision  during  their  embryonic  state,  in 
conformity  with  the  normal  development  of  the 
respective  types  to  ^hich  they  belong,  and  that 
even  when  placed  under  a  moderate  influence 
of  light,  incapable  of  injuring  them,  but  sufficient 
to  favor  the  growth  of  their  eyes  in  the  allied 
species  provided  with  them,  the  young  of  those 
species  peculiar  to  the  Cave  would  gradually 
grow  blind,  while  the  others  would  acquire  per- 
fect eyes;  for  I  am  convinced,  from  all  I  know 


94  THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

of  the  geographical  distribution  of  animals,  that 
they  were  created  under  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  now  live,  within  the  limits  over 
which  they  range,  and  with  the  structural  pecu- 
liarities Avhich  characterize  them  at  the  present 
day.  But  this  is  a  mere  inference,  and  whoever 
would  settle  the  question  by  direct  experiment 
might  be  sure  to  earn  the  everlasting  gratitude 
of  men  of -science.  And  here  is  a  great  aim  for 
the  young  American  Naturalist  who  would  not 
shrink  from  the  idea  of  devoting  his  life  to  the 
solution  of  one  great  question."* 


*  It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  Professor  Agassiz  main- 
tains the  opinion  that  the  fish  and  the  crawfish  of  the  Cave,  with 
their  structural  peculiarities,  "were  created  under  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  now  live,"  but,  as  he  very  frankly  adds, 
"  this  is  a  mere  inference." 

We  have  already  stated  that  the  inference  drawn  from  our 
own  observations  and  reflections  is  that  these  animals  were 
originally  supplied  with  the  organs  of  vision ;  and  since  the 
above  was  penned  we  have  noticed  tbat  Professor  Joseph  Jones, 
of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  has  incidentally  corroborated  our  view  while 
treating  the  subject  of  Albimsih.  Referring  to  the  effects  of  con- 
tinued darkness  upon  various  animals,  Dr.  Jones  remarks  : 

"  After  extended  investigation  and  examination  of  thousands 
of  living  specimens,  I  have  never  observed  an  albino  among  cold- 
blooded animals. 

"  When  this  class  of  animals  have  been  confinecWn  dark  caves, 
and  excluded  from  the  action  of  light,  they  present  the  appear- 
ance of  the  albino  ;  and  it  is  probable  that,  if  the  negro  children. 


•       THE    MAMMOTH   CAVE.  95 

Having  now  given  Prof.  Agassiz's  general 
views  upon  the  natural  history  of  the  eyeless 
animals  of  the  Cave,  we  will  proceed  to  the 
anatomical  construction  of  the  organs  of  sight 
and  hearing  of  the  blind  fishes,  in  the  words  of 
Professor  Jeffries  Wyman,  which  we  take  from 
Silliman's  "American  Journal  of  Science  and 
Arts"  for  March,  1854,  page  228.     He  says: 

which  are  almost  white  at  the  time  of  their  birth,  were  reared  in 
total  darkness,  they  would  in  like  manner  be  white. 

"  I  have  seen  living  sirens  from  the  caves  of  Africa,  without  a 
particle  of  coloring  matter  in  their  skins,  and  so  transparent  that 
the  form  and  pulsations  of  the  heart  and  the  circulation  of  the 
blood  could  be  discerned  through  the  walls  of  the  abdomen  and 
chest ;  and  Dr.  Blackie  has  informed  me  that  he  has  seen  similar 
colorless  salamanders  in  the  dark  caves  of  Northern  Georgia. 

"  I  have  in  my  possession  specimens  of  the  blind  fish  [Amhly- 
opsts  spelceus),  the  blind  cray-fish  {Astacus  pellucidus),  and  of  the 
crickets  with  eyes,  of  the  dark  caverns  of  the  caves  of  Kentucky, 
which  are  entirely  wanting  in  coloring,  resembling  albinos.  The 
absence  of  the  ball  from  the  socket  of  the  eye  in  the  blind  fish, 
and  the  absence  of  the  eye  from  the  peduncles  of  the  blind  cray- 
fish, may  be  most  philosophically  attributed  to  the  absence  of  that 
agent  upon  which  the  production  of  color  depends.  And  it  is 
now  well  established  that  we  may  arrest  and  alter  the  develop- 
ment of  the  tadpole,  and  other  animals,  by  raising  the  amount 
of  physical  forces,  heat  and  light." — Observations  and  Researches 
on  Albinism  in  the  Negro  Race.  By  Joseph  Jones.  M.D.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Physiology  and  Pathology  in  the  Medical  Department 
of  the  University  of  Nashville,  Tennessee.  Published  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  vol.  xx., 
1869,  pp.  703,  704. 


96  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

"  The  general  structure  of  the  blind  fishes  was 
described  in  a  former  number  of  .this  journal 
(July,  1843),  but  a  more  complete  description 
was  given  in  the  'New  York  Journal  of  Medi- 
cine' by  Tellkampf,  who,  in  company  with  J. 
Miiller,  of  Berlin,  for  the  first  time  detected  the 
existence  of  rudimentary  eyes.*  They  are  de- 
scribed as  one-twelfth  of  a  line  in  diameter, 
round,  black,  destitute  of  a  cornea,  having  an 
external  layer  of  pigment,  beneath  which  is  a 
colorless  membrane.  No  nerve  was  detected  in 
connection  with  the  eye,  and  the  contents  of  the 
globe  were  not  determined  with  certainty.  Pro- 
fessor Owen  has  described  the  organ  as  a  simple 
eye-speck, 'as  in  the  leech,  consisting  of  a  minute 
tegumentary  follicle,  coated  by  dark  pigment 
which  receives  the  end  of  a  special  cerebral 
nerve.'f  Dr.  John  C.  Dalton,  Jr.,  has  also  de- 
tected the  eyes,  and  describes  them  as  minute 
globular  sacs  containing  blackish  pigment,  deeply 


*  ''New  York  Journal  of  Medicine,  vol.  v.  p.  84.  1845.  Dr. 
Dekay  had  previously  mentioned  the  existence  of  eyes,  but  was 
evidently  misled  by  some  other  appearance,  since  he  states  that 
eyes  exist  of  the  usual  size,  but  are  covered  by  the  skin.  He  had 
not  dissected  them. — Fauna  of  New  York." — {Note  by  Prof. 
Wyman.) 

t  Lectures  on  Comparative  Anatomy,  vol.  ii.  p.  202.  See  also 
his  figure,  p.  175. 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  97 

imbedded  in  the  adipose  tissue  of  the  orbit,  and 
measuring  a  little  less  than  one-seventy-eighth 
of  an  inch.* 

"  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Charles  Dean, 
of  Cambridge,  and  of  Professor  Agassiz,  I  have 
.had  placed  at  my  disposal  some  specimens  of 
Amblyopsis,  well  preserved  in  alcohol,  and  have 
been  able  to  make,  in  some  respects,  a  more 
comj)lete  description  than  has  yet  been  given. 
I  have  also  had  an  opportunity  of  inspecting, 
superficially,  fourteen  specimens,  varying  from 
one  inch  and  a  half,  to  four  inches  and  a  half 
in  length,  but  in  three  or  four  only  could  the 
eyes  be  detected  through  the  skin.  In  the  three 
specimens  recently  dissected,  the  eyes  were  ex- 
posed only  after  the  removal  of  the  skin  and 
the  careful  separation  from  them  of  the  loose 
areolar  tissue  which  fills  the  orbit.  In  a  fish 
four  inches  in  length,  the  eyes  measured  one- 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  in  their  long  diameter, 
were  of  an  oval  form,  and  black.  A  filament 
of  nerve  [the  professor  here  refers  to  a  diagram 
of  the  eye,  which  accompanies  his  paper]  was 
distinctly  traced  from  the  globe  to  the  cranial 
walls ;  but  the  condition  of  the  contents  of  the 


*  New  York  Medical  Times,  vol.  ii.  page  354. 
9 


98  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

cranium,  from  the  effects  of  the  alcohol,  was 
such  as  to  render  it  impracticablcvto  ascertain 
the  mode  of  connection  of  the  optic  nerve  with 
the  optic  lobes.  A  few  muscular  fibres  were 
traced  to  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the 
eye,  and  even  in  contact  with  it,  but  were  not 
ascertained  to  have  that  regular  arrangement 
which  is  seen  in  the  more  completely  formed 
eyes  of  other  fishes. 

"Examined  under  the  microscope  with  a 
power  of  about  twenty  diameters,  the  following 
parts  were  satisfactorily  made  out:  first,  ex- 
ternally an  exceedingly  thin  membrane,  which 
invested  the  whole  surface  of  the  eye,  and 
appeared  to  be  continuous  with  a  thin  mem- 
brane covering  the  optic  nerve,  and  which  was 
therefore  regarded  as  a  sclerotic ;  second,  a 
layer  of  pigment-cells,  for  the  most  part  of  a 
hexagonal  form,  and  which  were  most  abun- 
dant about  the  anterior  part  of  the  eye ;  third, 
beneath  the  pigment  a  single  layer  of  colorless 
cells,  larger  than  a  pigment-cell,  and  each  cell 
having  a  distinct  nucleus;  fourth,  just  in  front 
of  the  globe  a  lenticular-shaped,  transparent 
body,  which  consisted  of  an  external  membrane 
containing  numerous  cells  with  nuclei ;  this 
lens-shaped  body  seemed  to  be  retained  in  its 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  99 

place  by  a  prolongation  forward  of  the  external 
membrane  of  the  globe ;  fifth,  the  globe  was  in- 
vested by  loose  areolar  tissue,  which  adhered  to 
it  very  generally,  and  in  some  instances  con- 
tained yellow  fatty  matter, — in  one  specimen  it 
formed  a  round  spot,  visible  through  the  skin, 
on  each  side  of  the  head,  which  had  all  the 
appearance  of  a  small  eye, — its  true  nature  was 
determined  by  the  microscope  only.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  the  appearance  just  referred  to 
may  have  misled  Dr.  Dekay,  where  he  states 
that  the  eye  exists  of  the  usual  size,  but  covered 
by  the  skin. 

"  If  the  superficial  membrane  above  noticed 
is  denominated  correctly  the  sclerotic,  then  the 
pigment-layer  may  be  regarded  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  clioroid.  The  form  as  well  as 
the  position  of  the  transparent  nucleated  cells 
within  the  choroid  correspond,  for  the  most 
part,  with  the  retina.  All  of  the  parts  just 
enumerated  are  such  as  are  ordinarily  devel- 
oped from  and  in  connection  with  the  enceph- 
alon,  and  are  not  in  any  way  dependent  upon 
the  skin.  But  if  the  lenticular-shaped  body  is 
the  true  representative  of  the  crystalline  lens, 
it  becomes  difficult  to  account  for  its  presence  in 
Amblyopsis   according    to    the    generally-recog- 


100  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

nized  mode  of  its  development  (since  it  is 
usually  formed  from  an  involution  qf  the  skin), 
unless  we  suppose  that  after  the  folding  of  the 
skin  had  taken  place  in  the  embryonic  con- 
dition the  lens  retreated  from  the  surface  and 
all.  connection  with  the  integument  ceased. 

•"According  to  Quatrefages,  however,  the  eye 
of  Amblyopsis  is  contained  wholly  in  the  cavity 
of  the  dura  mater,  and  yet  it  has  all  the  appear- 
ance of  being  provided  with  a  lens.  If  his 
description  be  correct,  then  the  mode  of  devel- 
opment as  well  as  the  morphology  of  the  eye 
in  this  remarkable  fish  is  different  from  that 
of  most  other  vertebrates,  since  the  lens  never 
could  have  been  formed  from  an  involution  of 
the  skin,  nor  could  the  eye,  with  its  lens,  as 
Professor  Owen  asserts,  be  a  modified  cutaneous 
follicle.  That  there  should  be  different  modes 
of  development  of  parts  of  the  eye  in  different 
animals  is  by  no  means  improbable,  since  we 
find  this  actually  to  be  the  case  in  another 
organ  of  sense,  the  nose.  In  some  fishes  the 
nostrils  result  from  a  depression  or  involution 
of  the  skin  simply,  and  do  not  at  any  period 
communicate  with  the  mouth ;  while  in  all  the 
higher  vertebrates  they  are  formed  by  sub- 
division  of   the  primitive    oral  cavity.      It   is 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE  .  101 

possible,  therefore,  that  in  Amblyopsis  the  lens 
may  have  been  developed  where  we  find  it,  and 
that  it  was  never  connected  with  the  intescu- 
ment.  Whatever  views  be  taken  with  regard 
to  its  development,  the  anatomical  characters 
which  have  been  enumerated  show  that,  though 
quite  imperfect  as  we  see  it  in  the  adult,  it  is 
constructed  after  the  type  of  the  eyes  in  other 
vertebrates.  It  certainly  is  not  adapted  to  the 
formation  of  images,  since  the  common  integu- 
ment and  the  areolar  tissue  which  are  interposed 
between  it  and  the  surface  would  prevent  the 
transmission  of  light  to  it  except  in  a  diffused 
condition.  No  pupil,  nor  anything  analogous 
to  an  iris,  was  detected,  unless  we  regard  as 
representing  the  latter  the  increased  number 
of  pigment-cells  at  the  anterior  part  of  the 
globe." 

In  continuation  of  the  same  observations, 
the  professor  next  treats  of  the  Ear;  and  his 
remarks  on  this  point  are  conclusive  in  contra- 
diction of  the  sensational  newspaper  article 
previously  mentioned.     He  says: 

"It  is  said  that  the  blind  fishes  are  acutely 
sensitive  to  sounds,  as  well  as  to  undulations 
produced  by  other  causes  in  the  water.  In  the 
only  instance  in  which    I   have  dissected   the 

9* 


102  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

organ  of  hearing  (which  I  believe  has  not  been 
before  noticed),  all  its  parts  were  largely  devel- 
oped, as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  figures  2 
and  3.  [We  regret  that  we  are  unable  to  intro- 
duce the  figures  here.]  As  regards  the  general 
structure,  the  parts  do  not  differ  materially  from 
those  of  other  fishes,  except  for  their  propor- 
tional dimensions.  The  semicircular  canals  are 
of  great  length,  and  the  two  which  unite  to 
enter  the  vestibule  by  a  common  duct,  it  will 
be  seen,  project  upwards  and  inwards  under  the 
vault  of  the  cranium,  so  as  to  approach  quite 
near  to  the  corresponding  parts  of  the  opposite 
side.  The  otolite  contained  in  the  utricle  was 
not  remarkable,  but  that  of  the  vestibule  is 
quite  large  when  compared  with  that  of  a 
Leuciscus  of  about  the  same  dimensions  as  the 
blind  fish  here  described." 

After  these  dry  scientific  details  of  some  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Cave,  which  may  prove 
interesting  to  those  readers  whose  studies  lead 
them  in  such  channels,  and  for  which  we  ask 
the  forbearance  of  the  general  reader,  we  will 
proceed  with  the  narrative  of  our  journey. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SILLIMAN'S  AVENUE. — RHODA'S  ARCADE. — LUCY'S  DOME,  AND 
PASS  OF  EL  GHOR. 

,  Upon  landing  on  the  farther  shores  of  Echo 
River,  we  immediately  enter  Silliman's  Avenue, 
— so  named  for  Professor  B.  Silliman,  Jr.,  who 
visited  the  Cave  in  1850. 

This  avenue  is  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and 
extends  from  Echo  River  to  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor. 
Its  height  varies  from  twenty  to  forty  feet,  and 
it  is  from  twenty  to  two  hundred  feet  in  width. 
The  walls  and  ceiling  of  this  avenue  are  rugged 
and  water-worn.  It  is  undoubtedly  of  recent 
formation,  as  compared  with  other  parts  of  the 
Cave. 

The  objects  of  interest  in  Silliman's  Avenue 
come  in  the  following  order : 

1.  Cascade  Hall  is  two  hundred  feet  in  diam- 
eter, and  twenty  feet  high.  It  receives  its  name 
from  a  small  cascade  That  falls  into  it  from  the 
ceiling. 

Of  this   hall   Bayard   Taylor  says,   "A   few 

C 103 ) 


104  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

minutes  of  rough  travel  brought  us  to  a  large 
circular  hall,  with  a  vaulted  ceiling,  from  the 
center  of  which  poured  a  cascade  of  crystal 
water,  striking  upon  the  slant  side  of  a  large  re- 
clining boulder,  and  finally  disappearing  through 
a  funnel-shaped  pit  in  the  floor.  It  sparkled 
like  a  shower  of  pearls  in  the  light  of  our  lamps 
as  we  clustered  around  the  brink  of  the  pit  to 
drink  from  the  stores  gathered  in  those  natural 
bowls  which  seem  to  have  been  hollowed  out  for 
the  uses  of  the  invisible  gnomes." 

The  avenue  which  leads  to  Roaring  River 
takes  its  origin  in  Cascade  Hall. 

2.  The  Dripping  Spring  is  a  pool  of  water 
that  is  supplied  from  the  ceiling.  Stalactites 
and  stalagmites  are  found  at  this  point. 

3.  The  Infernal  Region  receives  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  the  floor  is  composed  of  wet 
clay  and  is  exceedingly  irregular.  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  pass  over  it  without  receiving  a 
fall.  Several  of  our  party  would  be  willing  to 
testify  to  this  assertion. 

4.  The  Sea-Serpent  is  a  tortuous  crevice  in 
the  rock  overhead,  that  has  been  cut  by  running 
water,  the  layer  of  rock  that  formed  the  floor  of 
it  having  been  detached. 

5.  The  Valley  Way-Side  Cut  is  a  small  ave- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  105 

nue  leading  off  from  Silliman's  Avenue  and  re- 
turning into  it  a  short  distance  farther  on.  It 
presents  several  beautiful  points,  and  is  worth 
exploring. 

6.  The  Hill  of  Fatigue  is  appropriately 
named,  being  hard  to  climb,  but  is  not  otherwise 
worthy  of  note. 

7.  The  Great  Western,  so  called  from  the 
supposition  that  in  appearance  it  represents  the 
immense  ship  known  as  the  Great  Eastern,  is 
an  enormous  rock,  many  times  larger  than  any 
vessel,  the  end  of  which  closely  resembles  the 
stern  of  a  ship.  To  make  use  of  nautical  lan- 
guage, the  rudder  is  turned  to  the  starboard  side. 

8.  The  Rabbit  is  a  large  stone,  which  is  sup- 
posed to  resemble  the  animal  whose  name  it 
bears. 

9.  Ole  Bull's  Concert-Room  is  situated  to  the 
left  of  the  avenue.  It  is  thirty  feet  wide,  forty 
long,  and  twenty  high.  When  the  great  vio- 
linist made  his  first  tour  through  the  United 
States,  he  visited  the  Cave  and  performed  in  the 
room  which  has  received  his  name. 

At  the  end  of  Silliman's  Avenue  begins 
Rhoda's  Arcade,  which  arises  half  a  mile  from 
the  Pass  of  El  Ghor ;  it  is  five  hundred  yards 
in  length,  and  from  five  to  ten  feet  in  height. 


106  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

The  walls  and  ceiling  are  incrusted  with  crystals 
of  gypsum  and  carbonate  of  lime,  of  great  bril- 
liancy and  indescribable  beauty.  The  floor  is 
covered  with  white  crystals  of  limestone,  and  is 
unobstructed  by  fallen  rock.  In  point  of  beauty 
there  is  no  avenue  supenor  to  this. 

Lucy's  Dome  is  reached  by  passing  through 
Rhoda's  Arcade.  It  is  about  sixty  feet  in  its 
greatest  diameter,  and  over  three  hundred  in 
height,  being  the  highest  dome  in  the  Cave. 
The  sides  appear  to  be  composed  of  immense 
curtains,  extending  from  the  ceiling  to  the 
floor. 

We  next  reach  The  Pass  of  El  Ghor,  which 
resembles  Silliman's  Avenue,  but  the  clifis  com- 
posing its  walls  present  a  more  wild  and  rugged 
appearance.     It  is  about  two  miles  in  length. 

Of  this  Pass,  Bayard  Taylor  remarks  that  he 
supposes  it  was  named  by  some  traveler  who 
had  been  in  Arabia  Petrgea,  and  adds  that  the 
name  is  a  pleonasm,  as  el  ghor  signifies  a 
narrow,  difficult  pass  between  rocks. 

Mr.  Taylor  regarded  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor  as 
by  far  the  most  picturesque  avenue  in  the  Cave. 
He  continues :  "  It  is  a  narrow,  lofty  passage 
meandering  through  the  heart  of  a  mass  of  hor- 
izontal strata  of  limestone,  the  broken  edges  of 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  107 

which  assume  the  most  remarkable  forms. 
Now  there  are  rows  of  broad,  flat  shelves 
overhanging  your  head ;  now  you  enter  a  little 
vestibule  with  friezes  and  mouldings  of  almost 
Doric  symmetry  and  simplicity;  and  now  you 
wind  away  into  a  Cretan  Labyrinth,  most 
uncouth  and  fantastic,  whereof  the  Minotaur 
would  be  a  proper  inhabitant.  It  is  a  continual 
succession  of  surprises,  and,  to  the  appreciative 
visitor,  of  raptures." 

We  will  specify  the  objects  of  interest  in  this 
avenue  as  they  present  themselves  : 

1.  The  Hanging  Rocks  look  as  though  they 
were  on  the  point  of  falUng  and  closing  the 
avenue  over  which  they  are  suspended ;  but, 
as  before  stated,  no  rocks  from  the  walls  or 
ceiling  have  been  known  to  fall  in  any  part  of 
the  Cave  since  its  discovery. 

2.  The  Fly  Chamber  receives  its  name  from 
the  fact  that  crystals  of  black  gypsum,  of  the 
size  of  a  common  house-fly,  project  in  great 
numbers  from  the  ceiling 

3.  Table  Rock  is  twenty  feet  long,  and  pro- 
jects from  the  left  side  of  the  avenue  about  ten 
feet.     It  is  about  two  feet  in  thickness. 

4.  The  Crown  is  six  feet  in  diameter,  and  is 
situated  on  the  right  side  of  the  avenue,  about 


108  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

ten  feet  from  the  floor.     It  closely  resembles  the 
object  after  which  it  is  named. 

5.  Boone's  Avenue  leads  off  to  the  left.  It 
has  been  explored  only  about  one  mile,  and 
nothing  further  is  known  as  to  its  extent  or 
dimensions. 

6.  Coeinna's  Dome  rests  directly  over  the 
center  of  the  avenue.  It  is  forty  feet  high  and 
nine  wide.  It  was  formed  by  the  solvent  action 
of  water,  which  entered  it  through  a  fissure  at 
the  top,  when  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor  was  filled 
with  water.  Had  it  been  formed  after  the 
water  had  left  the  avenue,  there  would  have 
been  a  pit  beneath  it,  as  at  Shelby's  ^  Dome 
and  the  Bottomless  Pit. 

7.  The  Black  Hole  of  Calcutta  is  situated 
on  the  left  side  of  the  avenue,  and  is  about 
fifteen  feet  deep. 

8.  Stella's  Dome  is  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  in  height,  and,  in  general  appearance,  re- 
sembles Lucy's  Dome.  It  is  reached  by  passing 
through  a  small  avenue  which  enters  the  left 
wall  of  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor. 

9.  The  Chlmes  consist  of  depending  rocks,  as 
in  the  Bacon  Chamber,  which,  when  struck, 
emit  a  musical  sound.  These  are  objects  of 
interest  to  the  visitor. 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  109 

10.  Wellington's  Gallery  is  not  attractive. 

11.  Hebe's  Spring  is  about  four  feet  in  diam- 
eter, and  one  foot  and  a  half  in  depth.  Its 
water  .is  charged  witli  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 
Twenty  years  ago,  as  we  are  informed  by 
Dr.  Wright,  there  was  no  sulphur  in  this 
Spring,  and  at  the  present  time,  when  it  has 
been  undisturbed  for  several  hours,  pure  water 
is  found  upon  the  surface,  and  sulphur  water 
at  the  bottom,  indicating  the  fact  that  it  is 
supplied  with  sulphur  water  at  the  bottom  and 
pure  water  near  the  surface  which  come  from 
entirely  different  sources. 

Eyeless  crawfish  have  been  found  in  Hebe's 
Spring. 

At  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  beyond  Hebe's 
Spring,  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor  communicates 
with  a  body  of  water,  the  extent  of  which  is 
unknown,  called  the  Mystic  River. 


10 


CHAPTER    X. 

MARTHA'S   VINEYARD. — ELINDO   AVENUE. — THE   HOLY 
SEPULCHRE, — WASHINGTON    HALL. 

We  leave  the  Pass  of  El  Ghor  at  the  foot  of 
Martha's  Vineyard. 

The  avenue  which  contains  Martha's  Vine- 
yard is  elevated  twenty  feet  above  the  Pass 
of  El  Ghor,  and  is  reached,  with  considerable 
difficulty,  by  ascending  a  steep  ladder  near 
Hebe's  Spring. 

Of  this  curiosity,  Bayard  Taylor  expressed 
his  impressions  in  the  following  language : 
"We  were  now,  according  to  the  guide's  prom- 
ises, on  the  threshold  of  wonders.  Before  pro- 
ceeding forther,  we  stopped  at  Hebe's  Spring, 
which  fills  a  natural  basin  in  the  bottom  of  a 
niche  made  on  purpose  to  contain  it.  We  then 
climbed  a  perpendicular  ladder,  passing  through 
a  hole  in  the  ceiling  barely  large  enough  to  admit 
our  bodies,  and  found  ourselves  at  the  entrance 
of  a  narrow,  lofty  passage  leading  upward. 
When  all  had  made  the  ascent,  the  guides  exult- 
ingly  lifted  their  lamps  and  directed  our  eyes  to 
(110) 


"GRAPE  CLUSTERS': 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAYE.  Ill 

the  rocks  overhanging  the  aperture.  There  was 
the  first  wonder,  truly !  Clusters  of  grapes, 
gleaming  with  blue  and  violet  tints  through  the 
water  which  trickled  over  them,  hung  from  the 
cliffs,  while  a  stout  vine,  springing  from  the 
base  and  climbing  nearly  to  the  top,  seemed  to 
support  them.  Hundreds  on  hundreds  of 
bunches,  clustering  so  thickly  as  to  conceal  the 
leaves,  hang,  forever  ripe  and  forever  un- 
plucked,  in  that  marvelous  vintage  of  the  sub- 
terranean world.  For  whose  hand  shall  squeeze 
the  black,  infernal  wine  from  the  grapes  that 
grow  beyond  Lethe  ?" 

Dr.  Wright  tells  us,  in  more  sober  language, 
that  the  walls  and  ceiling  of  Martha's  Vineyard 
are  studded  with  stalactite  nodules  of  carbonate 
of  lime,  colored  with  the  black  oxide  of  iron, 
and  in  size  and  appearance  resembling  grapes. 
A  stalactite  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  ex- 
tending from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling,  is  termed 
the  Grape- Vine. 

A  large  stalagmite  projects  from  the  right 
wall,  a  few  inches  from  the  floor,  and  is  termed 
the  Battering-Ram. 

Elindo  Avenue  takes  its  origin  directly  over 
the  Pass  of  El  Ghor.  It  presents  no  points  of 
special  interest,  except  that  the  avenue  leading 


112  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

to  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  which  is  situated  directly 
over  Martha's  Vineyard,  and  which  contains  a 
fine  collection  of  stalactites,  arises  in  it. 

In  speaking  of  this  part  of  the  Cave,  Mr. 
Martin  remarks  (p.  65) : 

"AlDout  one  hundred  feet  from  this  spot,  tak- 
ing the  right,  over  a  rough  and  rather  a  difficult 
way,  the  tourist  at  last  reaches  what  is  called 
the  height  or  hill.  On  this  stands  the  Holy 
Sepulchre.  This  natural  chapel  is  about  twelve 
feet  square ;  it  has  a  low  ceiling,  and  is  deco- 
rated in  the  most  magnificent  style  imaginable, 
having  well-arranged  draperies  of  stalactite  of 
every  possible  shape.  .You  go  to  the  room  of 
the  Holy  Sepulchre,  adjoining.  Unlike  the  place 
you  left,  it  is  without  ornament  or  decoration  of 
any  kind  whatever;  it  presents  nothing  but 
dark  and  bare  walls,  and  has  been  likened,  by 
many  who  have  been  there,  to  a  charnel-house. 
In  the  center  of  this  room,  which  stands  but  a 
few  feet  below  the  chapel,  the  visitor  will  be 
shown  what  seems  to  be  a  grave  hewn  out  of 
the  solid  rock.  So  great  is  the  resemblance  as 
to  have  suggested  to  a  Roman  Catholic  priest 
the  exclamation  that  has  .since  passed  as  its 
name.  The  reverend  gentleman  referred  to  no 
sooner  cast  his  eyes  upon  this  opening  in  the 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  113 

rock,  than  he  cried  out,  on  bended  knees  and 
with  uplifted  hands,  'The  Holy  Sepulchre!  The 
Holy  Sepulchre!'" 

Continuing  our  advance,  we  next  arrived  at  a 
point  of  great  interest, — a  locality  that  had  been 
anxiously  inquired  for  for  more  than  an  hour 
previously  to  reaching  it, — Washington  Hall — 
the  place  of  dining. 

Dr.  Wright  says  that  this  Hall  is  generally 
reached  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock ;  but 
our  party,  being  composed  of  slow  travelers,  and 
of  persons  anxious  to  see  at  leisure  everything 
of  interest,  did  not  arrive  at  the  Hall  until  half- 
past  two.  The  following  are  Bayard  Taylor's 
impressions  of  the  dining  apartment : 

"  Mounting  for  a  short  distance,  this  new 
avenue  suddenly  turned  to  the  left,  widened,  and 
became  level.  The  ceiling  is  low,  but  beautifully 
vaulted,  and  Washington's  Hall,  which  we  soon 
reached,  is  circular,  and  upwards  of  one  hundred 
feet  in  diameter.  This  is  the  usual  dining-room 
of  parties  who  go  beyond  the  rivers.  Nearly 
five  hours  had  now  elapsed  since  we  entered  the 
Cave,  and  five  hours  spent  in  that  bracing, 
stimulating  atmosphere  might  well  justify  the 
longing  glances  which  we  cast  upon  the  baskets 
carried   by  the   guides.     Mr.  Miller   [the  then 

10* 


114  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

proprietor  of  the  hotel]  had  foreseen  our  appe- 
tites, and  there  were  stores  of  venison,  biscuit, 
ham,  and  pastry,  more  than  sufficient  for  all. 
We  made  our  mid-day,  or  rather  midnight,  meal, 
sitting,  like  the  nymph  who  wrought  Excalibur, 

•  Upon  the  hidden  bases  of  the  hills,' 

buried  far  below  the  green  Kentucky  forests,  far 
below  the  forgotten  sunshine.  For  in  the  Cave 
you  forget  that  there  is  an  outer  world  some- 
where above  you.  The  hours  have  no  meaning. 
Time  ceases  to  be;  no  thought  of  labor,  no  sense 
of  responsibility,  no  twinge  of  conscience,  in- 
trudes to  suggest  the  existence  you  have  left. 
You  walk  in  some  limbo  beyond  the  confines  of 
actual  life  yet  no  nearer  the  world  of  spirits. 
For  my  part,  I  could  not  shake  off  the  impres- 
sion that  I  was  wandering  on  the  outside  of 
Uranus,  or  Neptune,  or  some  planet  still  more 
deeply  buried  in  the  frontier  darkness  of  our 
solar  system." 

We  indorse  all  that  we  have  quoted  from  Mr. 
Taylor. 

"  There  may  be,"  remarked  our  corpulent 
friend  B.,  "  a  great  deal  of  romance  in  this  way 
of  eating,  with  your  plate  on  your  lap  and 
seated  on  a  rock  or  lump  of  nitre-earth ;   but. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  115 

for  my  part,  I  would  rather  dispense  with  the 
poetry  of  the  thing,  and  eat  a  good  dinner, 
whether  above  or  below  ground,  from  off  a  bona- 
tide  table,  and  seated  on  a  good  substantial 
chair.  The  proprietor  ought  to  have,  at  all  the 
dining-places,  tables,  chairs,  and  the  necessary 
table-furniture,  that  visitors  might  partake  of 
their  collations  with  some  degree  of  comfort.'"^ 

We  regard  this  as  a  very  proper  suggestion. 
The  proprietor  of  the  hotel  might,  with  very 
trifling  cost,  keep  permanently,  at  the  two  or 
three  principal  places  of  dining,  substantial  tables 
and  chairs  for  the  accommodation  of  visitors. 

Cans  of  oil  are  kept  in  this  room  (Washington 
Hall),  from  which  the  lamps  are  replenished. 
Although  the  lamps  are  capable  of  holding  oil 
sufficient  to  burn  ten  hours,  the  depots  for  it  are 
so  arranged  that  they  can  be  filled  every  five 
hours;  and,  as  a  greater  security  against  total 
darkness,  the  guide  carries  a  bottle  of  oil  in  his 
satchel. 

Marion's  Avenue,  which  rises  in  Washington 
Hall,  leads  to  Paradise,  Zoe's  Grotto,  and  Por- 
tia's Parterre.  These  avenues  will  be  again 
referred  to. 

*  Rambles  of  a  Visitor,  p.  53. 


116  THE    xMAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Upon  leaving  Washington  Hall,  and  before 
reaching  Cleveland's  Cabinet,  we  pass  through 
the  Snowball  Room.  The  ceiling  is  studded 
with  white  nodules  of  gypsum,  which  vary  in 
diameter  from  two  to  four  inches.  The  atmos- 
phere of  the  room  is  too  damp  for  the  gypsum 
to  assume  the  forms  of  flowers  and  filaments, 
as  it  does  in  Cleveland's  Cabinet.  The  re- 
semblance of  these  nodules  to  snowballs  is 
complete. 


CHAPTER  XL 

Cleveland's  cabinet,  and  the  rocky  mountain. 

We  now  enter  the  last  avenue  on  the  "  Long 
Route,"  which,  in  point  of  attractiveness  and 
extraordinary  beauty,  is  the  crowning  glory  of 
the  Cave.  We  refer  to  Cleveland's  Cabinet. 
This  avenue  is  about  two  miles  in  length,  ex- 
tending to  the  Rocky  Mountain.  The  interest 
connected  with  this  avenue  is  so  great  that  we 
hope  we  will  be  pardoned  for  here  inserting  ex- 
tended extracts  from  the  observations  of  others 
regarding  the  impressions  produced  upon  them 
while  witnessing  its  curiosities. 

Mr.  Martin  says,  "  This  avenue  is  truly  mag- 
nificent ;  it  may  be  designated  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  objects  in  the  world.  It  is  replete 
with  formations  that  are  to  be  seen  in  no  other 
place, — which  even  the  dullest  cannot  behold 
without  experiencing  sensations  quite  new  to 
them,  but  which  in  the  cultivated  and  intel- 
lectual awaken  feelings  of  rapture. 

"Professor  Locke  has  designated  some  of  these 

(117) 


118  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

formations  as  onlophilites,  or  curled  leaf  stones. 
In  lecturing  on  them  he  says,  '  They  are  unlike 
anything  yet  discovered,  equally  beautiful  for 
the  cabinet  of  the  amateur  and  interesting  to  the 
geological  philosopher.' 

"Another  gentleman  (a  clergyman)  also  speaks 
of  these  formations.  His  remarks  are  to  the  fol- 
lowing effect :  '  So  exquisite  and  beautiful  is 
Cleveland's  Avenue,  that  it  is  out  of  the  power 
of  painter  or  poet  to  conceive  anything  like  it. 
Such  loveliness  cannot,  indeed,  be  described. 
Were  the  sovereigns  of  wealthy  states  to  spend 
their  all  on  the  most  skillful  lapidaries  they  could 
find,  with  the  view  of  rivaling  the  splendor  of 
this  truly  regal  abode,  the  attempt  would  be 
entirely  vain.  What,  then,  is  left  for  the  nar- 
rator? People  must  see  it,  and  then  they  will 
be  convinced  that  all  attempts  at  adequate  de- 
scription are  useless.  Tlie  Cabinet  was  discov- 
ered by  Mr.  Patten,  of  Louisville,  and  Mr.  Craig, 
of  Philadelphia,  accompanied  by  the  guide  Ste- 
phen. It  extends  in  a  direct  line  about  two 
miles.  It  is  a  perfect  arch  of  fifty  feet  span,  and 
of  an  average  height  of  ten  feet  in  the  center, 
just  high  enough  to  be  viewed  at  ease  in  all  its 
parts.  It  is  incrusted  from  end  to  end  with  the 
most  beautiful  formations  in  every  variety  of 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  119 

form.  The  base  of  the  whole  is  sulphate  of  lime, 
in  one  part  of  dazzling  whiteness  and  perfectly 
smooth,  and  in  other  places  crj^stallized  so  as 
to  glitter  like  diamonds  in  the  light.  Growing 
from  this,  in  endless  diversified  forms,  is  a  sub- 
stance resembling  selenite,  translucent  and  im- 
perfectly laminated.  Some  of  the  crystals  bear 
a  striking  resemblance  to  celery,  and  all  are 
about  the  same  length,  while  others,  a  foot  or 
more  in  length,  have  the  color  and  appearance 
of  vanilla  cream  candy ;  others  are  set  in  sul- 
phate of  lime,  in  the  form  of  a  rose ;  and  others 
still  roll  out  from  the  base  in  forms  resembling 
the  ornaments  on  the  capital  of  a  Corinthian 
column.  Some  of  the  incrustations  are  massive 
and  splendid ;  others  are  as  delicate  as  the  lily, 
or  as  fancy-work  of  shell  or  wood.  Let  any  per- 
son think  of  traversing  an  arched  way  like  this 
for  two  miles,  and  all  the  wonders  of  the  tales 
of  youth,  not  forgetting  those  gorgeous  fictions, 
'  The  Arabian  Nights,'  seem  tame  and  uninter- 
esting when  brought  into  comparison  with  the 
living,  growing  reality.  The  term  'growing'  is 
not  a  misnomer ;  the  process  is  going  on  before 
your  eyes.  Successive  coats  of  these  incrusta- 
tions have  been  perfected,  and  then  crowded  off 
by  others,  so  that   hundreds  of  tons  of   these 


120  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

gems  lie  at  your  feet  and  are  crushed  as  you 
pass,  while  the  work  of  restoring  the  ornaments 
for  Nature's  boudoir  is  proceeding  around  you. 
Here  and  there,  through  the  whole  extent,  you 
will  find  openings  through  the  side,  into  which 
you  may  thrust  the  person  and  often  stand  erect 
in  little  grottos,  perfectly  incrusted  with  a  deli- 
cate white  substance,  reflecting  the  light  from  a 
thousand  glittering  points.  Many  visitors  are 
so  enraptured  with  the  place  that  they  cannot 
repress  exclamations  of  surprise  and  worship." 

This  beautiful  avenue  (Cleveland's)  is  of  suf- 
ficient importance  to  justify  us  in  giving  the 
views  of  various  authors  with  regard*  to  it.  We 
will  next  add  an  extract  from  the  sketch  of 
Bayard  Taylor: 

"  It  is  completely  incrusted  from  end  to  end 
with  crystallizations  of  gypsum,  white  as  snow. 
This  is  the  crowning  marvel  of  the  Cave, — the 
pride  and  the  boast  of  the  guides.  Their  satis- 
faction is  no  less  than  yours,  as  they  lead  you 
through  the  diamond  grottos,  the  gardens  of 
sparry  efflorescence,  and  the  gleaming  vaults 
of  this  magical  avenue.  We  first  entered  the 
Snowball  Room,  where  the  gnome-children,  in 
their  sports,  have  peppered  the  gray  walls  and 
ceiling  with  thousands  of  snow-white  projecting 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  121 

disks,  SO  perfect  in  their  fragile  beauty  that  they 
seem  ready  to  melt  away  under  the  blaze  of 
your  lamp.  Then  commences  Cleveland's  Cab- 
inet, a  gallery  of  crystals,  the  richness  and 
variety  of  which  bewilder  you.  It  is  a  sub- 
terranean conservatory,  filled  with  the  flowers 
of  all  zones ;  for  there  are  few  blossoms  expand- 
ing on  the  upper  earth  but  are  mimicked  in 
these  gardens  of  darkness.  I  cannot  lead  you 
from  niche  to  niche,  and  from  room  to  room, 
examining  in  detail  the  enchanted  growths ; 
they  are  all  so  rich  and  so  wonderful  that  the 
memory  does  not  attempt  to  retain  them. 
Sometimes  the  hard  limestone  rock  is  changed 
into  a  parterre  of  white  roses ;  sometimes  it  is 
starred  with  opening  daisies ;  the  sunflowers 
spread  their  flat  disks  and  rayed  leaves ;  the 
feathery  chalices  of  the  cactus  hang  from  the 
clefts ;  the  night-blooming  cereus  opens  securely 
her  snowy  cup,  for  the  morning  never  comes  to 
close  it ;  the  tulip  is  here  a  virgin,  and  knows 
not  that  her  sisters  above  are  clothed  in  the 
scarlet  of  shame. 

"  In  many  places  the  ceiling  is  covered  with 
a  mammillary  crystallization,  as  if  a  myriad 
bubbles  were  rising  beneath  its  glittering  sur- 
face.    Even  on  this  jeweled  soil,  which  sparkles 

11 


122  THE    MAMMOTH    CA.VE. 

all  around  you,  grow  the  lilies  and  roses,  singly 
overhead,  but  clustering  together  toward  the 
base  of  the  vault,  where  they  give  place  to 
long,  snowy,  pendulous  cactus-flowers,  which 
droop  like  a  fringe  around  diamonded  niches. 
Here  you  see  the  passion-flower,  with  its  curi- 
ously-curved pistils;  there  an  iris,  with  its  lan- 
ceolate leaves ;  and  again,  bunches  of  celery, 
with  stalks  white  and  tender  enough  for  a 
fairy's  dinner.  There  are  occasional  patches 
of  gypsum,  tinged  with  a  deep  amber  color  by 
the  presence  of  iron.  Through  the  whole 
length  of  the  avenue  there  is  no  cessation  of 
the  wondrous  work.  The  pale  rock-blooms 
burst  forth  everywhere,  crowding  on  each  other 
until  the  brittle  sprays  cannot  bear  their  weight, 
and  they  fall  to  the  floor.  The  slow,  silent 
efflorescence  still  goes  on,  as  it-  has  done  for 
ages  in  that  buried  tropic. 

"  What  most  struck  me  in  my  under-ground 
travels,"  continues  Mr.  Taylor,  "  was  the  evi- 
dence of  desig?!  which  I  found  everywhere. 
Why  should  the  forms  of  earth's  outer  crust, 
her  flowers  and  fruits,  the  very  heaven  itself 
which  spans  her,  be  so  wonderfully  reproduced  ? 
What  law  shapes  the  blossoms  and  the  foliage 
of  that  vast  crystalline  garden  ?     There  seemed 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  123 

to  be  something  more  than  the  accidental  com- 
binations of  a  blind  chance  in  what  I  saw, — 
some  evidence  of  an  informing  and  directing 
will.  In  these  secret  caverns,  the  agencies  which 
produced  their  wonders  have  been  at  work  for 
thousands  of  years,  perhaps  thousands  of  ages, 
fashioning  the  sparry  splendors  in  the  womb  of 
darkness  with  as  exquisite  a  grace,  as  true  an 
instinct  of  beauty,  as  in  the  palm  or  the  lily, 
which  are  moulded  by  the  hands  of  the  sun. 
What  power  is  it  that  lies  behind  the  mere 
chemistry  of  Nature,  impregnating  her  atoms 
with  such  subtle -laws  of  symmetry?  What  but 
the  Divine  will  which  first  gave  her  being,  and 
which  is  never  weary  of  multiplying  for  man 
the  lessons  of  infinite  wisdom  ?" 

Professor  Locke,  of  the  Ohio  Medical  College, 
under  date  of  Cincinnati,  October  26,  1841, 
published  in  Silliman's  "  American  Journal 
of  Science  and  Arts"  for  1842,  p.  206,  a 
sketch  entitled  "  Alabaster  in  the  Mammoth 
Cave  of  Kentucky,"  from  which  we  make  the 
following  extracts  : 

"  After  crossing  within  the  Cave  several 
streams  in  boats,  an  apartment  has  been 
reached  (Cleveland's  Cabinet),  the  roof  of 
which   is    decorated   with    the    most    gorgeous 


124  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

ornaments  of  alabaster,  so  much  like  a  work  of 
art  as  to  surpass  credibility.  They  are  white 
and  semi-transparent,  and  are  thrown  out  from 
the  rock  in  the  form  of  rosettes,  leaves,  and 
curled  enrichments  of  the  composite  capital  of 
architecture,  *  *  *  *  I  was  at  first  at 
a  loss  to  account  for  such  beautiful  formations, 
and  especially  for  the  elegance  of  the  curves  ex- 
hibited. It  is,  however,  evident  that  the  sub- 
stances have  grown  from  the  rocks  by  increments 
or  additions  to  the  base, — the  solid  parts  already 
formed  being  continually  pushed  forward.  If 
the  growth  be  a  little  more  rapid  on  one  side 
than  on  the  other,  a  well-proportioned  curve 
will  be  the  result;  should  the  action  on  one 
side  diminish  or  increase,  then  all  the  beauties 
of  the  conic  and  mixed  curves  would  be  pro- 
duced. The  masses  are  often  evenly  and 
longitudinally  striated  by  a  kind  of  columnar 
structure,  exhibiting  a  fascicle  of  small  prisms, 
and  some  of  these  prisms,  ending  sooner  than 
others,  give  a  broken  termination  of  great 
beauty,  similar  to  our  form  of  the  emblem  of 
Hhe  order  of  the  Star.'  The  rosettes  formed 
by  a  mammillary  disk,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of 
leaves  at  every  flexure,  like  the  branches  of  a 
chandelier,  running  more  than  a  foot  in  length 


I 


ROSA'S  BOWER, 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  125 

and  not  thicker  than  the  finger,  are  among  the 
varied  frost-work  of  the  alabaster  groltos ;  com- 
mon stalactites  of  carbonate  of  lime,  although 
beautiful  objects,  lose  by  contrast  with  these 
ornaments  all  of  their  effect,  and  dwindle  into 
mere  clumsy,  awkward  icicles." 

Having  given  a  general  idea  of  the  beauty  and 
grandeur  of  Cleveland's  magnificent  avenue,  we 
proceed  to  mention  in  detail  the  objects  of  in- 
terest as  they  present  themselves : 

1.  Maey's  Bower  is  fifteen  feet  in  height 
and  forty  in  leno;th.  Its  walls  and  ceiling  are 
covered  with  rosettes  of  gypsum.  Immediately 
adjoining  Mary's  Bower,  and  by  many  regarded 
as  surpassing  it  in  beauty,  is  to  be  seen  Rosa's 
Bower,  a  very  good  representation  of  which  has 
been  produced  by  our  artist. 

2.  The  Cross  consists  of  two  crevices  in  the 
ceiling,  intersecting  each  other  at  right  angles, 
and  lined  with  flowers  of  plaster  of  Paris.  It  is 
about  eight  feet  in  length. 

3.  The  Mammary  Ceiling  is  formed  of  nipple- 
shaped  projections  of  gypsum. 

4.  The  Last  Rose  of  Summer  is  about  eight 
inches  in  diameter,  and  is  of  snowy  whiteness. 
It  rests  against  the  ceiling,  in  the  center  of  the 
avenue. 

11* 


126  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

This  is  indeed  a  marvel  of  beauty.  It  is  a 
perfect  representation  of  a  very  large  rose.  It 
hangs  alone,  a  short  distance  beyond  the  thou- 
sftnds  of  clusters,  and  it  is  really  the  last  to  be 
found  in  the  avenue. 

5.  The  Dinixg-Talle  is  fifteen  feet  wide  and 
thirty  long.  .  It  is  a  flat  rock  that  has  been  de- 
tached from  the  ceiling. 

6.  Bacchus's  Glory  is  an  alcove,  three  feet 
in  height  and  five  feet  in  length,  the  whole 
interior  of  which  is  lined  with  nodules  of 
gypsum  which  in  size  and  form  resemble 
grapes.  It  is  situated  to  the  left  of  the 
Dining-Table. 

7.  St.  Cecilia's  Grotto  is  remarkable  for  the 
size  of  the  stucco  flowers  found  in  it. 

8.  Diamond  Grotto  is  lined  with  crystals  of 
selenite,  ^vhich,  when  a  light  is  waved  to  and  fro 
in  front  of  them,  sparkle  like  the  gem  after  which 
the  grotto  is  named. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  beautiful  but  deli- 
cate formations  in  Cleveland's  Cabinet  will  ever 
be  carefully  guarded  against  the  destructive 
hand  of  man ;  for  by  human  agency  all  those 
wonderful  rock-blooms  which  have  occupied 
thousands  of  years  in  their  production  might 
be  destroyed  in  a  few  hours.     The  Cabinet  is 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE  127 

named  in  honor  of  Professor  Cleveland,  the 
disthiguished  mineralogist. 

At  the  terniination  of  Cleveland's  Cabinet  we 
arrive  at  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountain.  This 
mountain  is  one  hundred  feet  high,  and  is  en- 
tirely formed  of  rocks  that  have  fallen  from 
above.  On  the  top  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  there 
is  a  stalagmite  two  feet  high  and  six  inches  in 
diameter,  termed  Cleopatra's  Needle. 

On  the  farther  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  is 
a  gorge  seventy  feet  deep  and  one  hundred  feet 
wide,  termed  Dismal  Hollow.  The  Cave  at  the 
Mountain  divides  into  three  branches.  That  to 
the  right  leads  to  Sandstone  Dome,  which  is  in- 
teresting from  the  fact  that  the  stone  of  which  it 
is  composed  indicates  that  the  top  of  the  Dome 
is  near  the  surface  of  the  earth.  The  branch  to 
the  left  communicates  with  Crogan's  Hall.*  The 
central  one  is  termed  Franklin  Avenue,  and  ex- 
tends from  Dismal  Hollow  to  Serena's  Arbor. 

Franklin  Avenue,  as  before  stated,  extends 
from  Dismal  Hollow  to  Serena's  Arbor,  a  dis- 
tance of  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  It  varies  in  width 
from  thirty  to  sixty  feet;  it  has  a  wild  and 
gloomy  appearance. 

*  Named  for  Dr.  Crogan,  a  former  proprietor  of  tlie  Cave, — 
improperly  spelled  Grogan  by  Dr.  Wright. 


128  THE    MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

-  Serena's  Arbor  is'  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and 
about  forty  in  height.  The  walls  and  ceiling 
are  covered  with  stalactite  cornices,  columns, 
grooves,  ogees,  etc.,  many  of  which  are  semi- 
transparent  and  sonorous. 

At  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  the  guide 
stopped,  intimating  that  the  terminus  of  the 
journey  had  been  reached.  Having  read  a 
thrilling  account  of  a  descent  into  the  Mael- 
strom some  years  ago,  we  expressed  a  desire  to 
see  the  awful  pit,  which  was  some  distance 
beyond.  All  the  gentlemen  of  the  party,  and 
one  or  two  of  the  ladies  also,  expressed  a  will- 
ingness to  climb  the  Rocky  Mountain.  The 
other  ladies  awaited  our  return.  The  ascent  of 
the  mountain  was  extremely  difficult,  and  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  guides  do  not 
insist  upon  visitors  passing  over  it. 

Beyond  the  mountain  we  enter  Crogan's  Hall, 
which  constitutes  the  end  of  the  Long  Route, 
and  which  is  about  seventy  feet  wide  and  twenty 
high.  The  left  wall  is  covered  wdth  stalactite 
formations,  which  are  white  and  semi-transpa- 
rent and  of  great  hardness,  and  fragments  of 
which  are  sometimes  worked  into  ornaments. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

THE  MAELSTROM. — A   PERILOUS    ADVENTURE. 

The  Maelstrom  is  a  pit  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  feet  deep  and  twenty  wide.  There 
are  avenues  leading  from  the  bottom,  which 
may  be  seen  when  a  light  is  lowered  into  it, 
but  which  have  been,  as  yet,  imperfectly  ex- 
plored. 

In  connection  with  the  Maelstrom,  we  cannot 
refrain  giving  the  graphic  and  thrilling  account 
of  the  adventure,  already  alluded  to,  of  William 
Courtland  Prentice,  son  of  George  D.  Prentice, 
the  venerable  editor  of  the  "  Louisville  Journal," 
who  was  an  officer  in  the  Confederate  Army, 
and  was  killed  in  a  raid  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio 
in  1862.  In  referring  to  his  untimely  death,  the 
"Journal"  said : 

"  He  loved  to  seek  the  wildest  and  loneliest 
portions  of  Kentucky.  Repeatedly  he  went  far 
up  among  the  bald  and  desolate  crags  of  the 
cliffs  of  Dix  River,  a  region  haunted  by  the 
bear,   the    wild-cat,    and  the    catamount.     The 

.(129) 


130  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

piercing  scream  of  the  panther  even  then  was  a 
sound  of  rapture  to  his  ear.  He  ^was  ever  in 
search  of  natural  curiosities,  and  he  discovered 
and  explored  caves  previously  unknown,  in  all 
probability,  to  any  man  of  our  generation,  and 
in  one  of  them  he  found  immense  numbers  of 
human  bones  that  seemed  to  him  to  have  be- 
longed to  a  different  order  of  beings  from  any 
now  upon  our  continent.  He  subsequently  be- 
came as  familiar  with  the  Mammoth  Cave  as 
the  best  of  its  guides.  An  adventure  of  his  in 
that  subterranean  realm  attracted  much  atten- 
tion four  years  ago.  An  account  of  it  was  pub- 
lished in  our  columns,  and,  as  we  have  often  been 
requested  to  republish  it,  we  will  do  so  now  : 

"  Terrific  Adventure  in  the  Mammoth  Cave. 
— At  the  supposed  end  of  what  has  always  been 
considered  the  longest  avenue  in  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  nine  miles  from  its  entrance,  there  is  a 
pit,  dark  and  deep  and  terrible,  known  as  the 
Maelstrom.  Tens  of  thousands  have  gazed  into 
it  with  awe  while  Bengal-lights  were  thrown 
down  to  make  its  fearful  depths  visible,  but  none 
had  ever  the  daring  to  explore  it.  The  cele- 
brated guide  Stephen,  who  was  deemed  insen- 
sible to  fear,  was  offered  six  hundred  dollars  by 
the  proprietors  of  the  Cave  if  he  would  descend 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  131 

to  the  bottom  of  it;  but  he  shrank  from  the  peril. 
A  few  years  ago,  a  learned  and  bold  man  resolved 
to  do  what  no  one  before  him  had  dared  to  do; 
and,  making  his  arrangements  with  great  care 
and  precaution,  he  had  himself  lowered  down 
by  a  strong  rope  a  hundred  feet,  but  at  that  point 
his  courage  failed  him,  and  he  called  aloud  to  be 
drawn  out.  No  human  power  could  ever  have 
induced  him  to  repeat  the  appalling  experiment. 
"A  couple  of  weeks  ago,  however,  a  young  gen- 
tleman of  Louisville  (Wm.  Courtland  Prentice), 
whose  nerves  never  trembled  at  mortal  peril, 
being  at  the  Mammoth  Cave  with  Professor 
Wright,  of  our  city,  and  others,  determined,  no 
matter  what  the  dangers  might  be,  to  explore 
the  depths  of  the  Maelstrom.  Mr,  Proctor,  the 
enterprising  proprietor  of  the  Cave,  sent  to 
Nashville,  and  procured  a  long  rope  of  great 
strength  expressly  for  the  purpose.  The  rope 
and  some  necessary  timbers  were  borne  by  the 
guides  and  others  to  the  point  of  the  exploration. 
The  arrangements  being  soon  completed,  the 
rope,  with  a  heavy  fragment  of  rock  affixed  to  it, 
was  let  down  and  swung  to  and  fro  to  dislodge 
any  loose  pieces  of  rocks  that  would  be  likely  to 
fall  at  the  touch.  Several  were  thus  dislodged, 
and  the  long-continued  reverberations,  rising  up 


132  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

like  distant  thunder  from  below,  proclaimed  the 
depth  of  the  horrid  chasm.  .  Then  the  young 
hero  of  the  occasion,  with  several  hats  drawn 
over  his  head,  to  protect  it  as  far  as  possible 
against  masses  falling  from  above,  and  with  a 
light  in  his  hand  and  the  rope  fastened  around 
his  body,  took  his  place  over  the  awful  pit,  and 
directed  the  half-dozen  men,  who  held  the  end 
of  the  rope,  to  let  him  down  into  the  Cimmerian 
gloom. 

"  We  have  heard  from  his  own  lips  an  account 
of  his  descent.  Occasionally  masses  of  earth  and 
rock  went  whizzing  past,  but  none  struck  him. 
Thirty  or  forty  feet  from  the  top,  a  cataract  from 
the  side  of  the  pit  went  rushing  down  the  abyss, 
and,  as  he  was  in  the  midst  of  the  spray,  he  felt 
some  apprehension  that  his  light  would  be  ex- 
tinguished ;  but  his  care  prevented  this.  He 
was  landed  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit,  a  hundred 
and  ninety  feet  from  the  top.  He  found  it 
almost  perfectly  circular,  about  eighteen  feet  in 
diameter,  with  a  small  opening  at  one  point, 
leading  to  a  fine  chamber  of  no  great  extent. 
He  found  on  the  floor  beautiful  sj)ecimens  of 
black  selix,  of  immense  size,  vastly  larger  than 
were  ever  discovered  in  any  other  part  of  the 
Mammoth  Cave,  and  also  a  multitude  of  exqui- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  133 

site  formations  as  pure  and  white  as  virgin  snow. 
Making  himself  heard,  with  great  effort,  by  his 
friends,  he  at  length  asked  them  to  pull  him 
partly  up,  intending  to  stop  on  the  way  and 
explore  a  cave  that  he  had  observed  opening 
about  forty  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  pit. 

'•  Reaching  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  he  swung 
himself  with  much  exertion  into  it,  and,  holding 
the  end  of  the  rope  in  his  hand,  he  incautiously 
let  it  go,  and  it  swung  out  apparently  beyond 
his  reach.  The  situation  was  a  fearful  one,  and 
his  friends  above  could  do  nothing  for  him. 
Soon,  however,  he  made  a  hook  of  tlie  e.id  of 
his  lamp,  and,  by  extending  himself  as  far  over 
the  verge  as  possible  without  falling,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  the  rope.  Fastening  it  to  a 
rock,  he  followed  the  avenue  one  hundred  and 
fifty  or  two  hundred  yards  to  a  point  where  he 
found  it  blocked  by  an  impassable  avalanche  of 
rock  and  earth.  Returning  to  the  mouth  of 
this  cave,  he  beheld  an  almost  exactly  similar 
mouth  of  another  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  pit, 
but  not  being  able  to  swing  himself  into  it,  he 
refastened  the  rope  around  his  body,  suspended 
himself  again  over  the  abyss,  and  shouted  to  his 
friends  to  raise  him  to  the  top.  The  pull  was 
an  exceedingly  severe  one,  and  the  rope,  being 

12 


134  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

ill  adjusted  around  hivS  body,  gave  him  the  most 
excruciating  pain.  But  soon  his  pain  was  for- 
gotten in  a  new  and  dreadful  peril. 

"When  he  was  ninety  feet  from  the  mouth 
of  the  pit,  and  one  hundred  from  the  bottom, 
swaying  and  swinging  in  mid-air,  he  heard  rapid 
and  excited  words  of  horror  and  alarm  above, 
and  soon  learned  that  the  rope  by  which  he  was 
upheld  had  taken  fire  from  the  friction  of  the 
timber  over  which  It  passed.  Several  moments 
of  awful  suspense  to  those  above,  and  still  more 
awful  to  him  below,  ensued.  To  them  and  to 
him  a  fatal  and  instant  catastrophe  seemed  in- 
evitable. But  the  fire  was  extinguished  with  a 
bottle  of  water  belonging  to  himself,  and  then 
the  party  above,  though  almost  exhausted  by 
their  labors,  succeeded  in  drawing  him  to  the 
top.  He  was  as  calm  and  self-possessed  as  upon 
his  entrance  into  the  pit;  but  all  of  his  com- 
panions, overcome  by  fatigue,  sank  down  upon 
the  ground,  and  his  friend.  Professor  Wright, 
from  overexertion  and  excitement,  fainted,  and 
remained  for  some  time  insensible. 

"  The  young  adventurer  left  his  name  carved 
in  the  depths  of  the  Maelstrom — the  name  of 
the  first  and  only  person  that  ever  gazed  upon 
its  mysteries." 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  135 

The  guides  informed  us,  upon  reference  being 
made  to  this  terrific  adventure,  which  had  pre- 
viously come  under  our  notice,  that  since  the 
occasion  of  Prentice's  descent,  two  other  parties 
have  been  bold  enough  to  incur  the  same 
hazards, — one  an  Englishman  and  the  other  an 
American.  They,  however,  did  not  meet  with 
the  appalling  experience  that  is  so  graphically 
narrated  in  the  foregoing  sketch. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE   RATS,  INSECTS,  ETC.  OF    THE   CAVE. 

Having  now  reached  the  end  of  the  Long 
Route,  and  presuming  that  the  minds  of  our 
readers  are  sufficiently  filled,  for  the  present, 
with  the  beautiful,  the  sublime,  and  the  terrible, 
we  embrace  the  opportunity,  before  wending 
back  our  weary  way  to  the  land  of  verdure  and 
sunshine,  to  draw  attention  for  a  few  moments, 
by  way  of  diversion,  to  some  of  the  animals  and 
insects  of  the  Cave  which  have  not  already  been 
described, — several  of  which  are  found  at  this 
point. 

A  peculiar  kind  of  rat  is  sometimes  found  in 
Crogan's  Hall  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
Cave,  which  is  a  size  larger  than  the  Norway 
rat.  The  head  and  eyes  resemble  those  of  a 
rabbit,  and  the  hair  on  the  back  is  like  that  of  a 
gray  squirrel,  but  that  of  the  legs  and  abdomen 
is  white. 

Cave  crickets  and  lizards  are  also  found  here. 
The  Cave  crickets  are  about  an  inch  in  length. 
(136) 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  137 

The  body  is  yellow,  striped  with  black.  They 
are  provided  with  large  eyes,  but  seem  to  direct 
their  course,  mainly,  by  their  antennse,  or  feelers, 
which  are  enormously  developed.  They  are 
sluggish  in  their  movements,  and,  unlike  other 
crickets,  observe  an  eternal  silence. 

The  Cave  lizards  vary  in  length  from  three 
to  five  inches.  The  eye  is  large  and  prominent. 
The  body  is  yellow  and  dotted  with  black  spots, 
and  is  semi-transparent.  They  are  sluggish  in 
their  movements. 

The  abundance  of  animal  life  at  this  point 
(Crogan's  Hall)  would  seem  to  indicate  that 
there  is  a  communication  with  the  surface  of 
the  earth  at  no  great  distance. 

Bats  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  Cave,  we  are 
told  by  Dr.  Wright,  but  most  abundantly  in  Au- 
dubon's Avenue. 

Professor  Silliman,  a  portion  of  whose  remarks 
have  alrea;dy  been  quoted  ("Silliman's  Journal" 
for  May,  1851),  says  : 

"  There  are  several  insects,  the  largest  of 
which  is  a  sort  of  cricket  with  enormously  long 
antennae.  Of  this  insect,  numerous  specimens 
will  be  found  among  the  specimens  sent  to  Profes- 
sor Agassiz.  There  are  several  species  of  coleop- 
tera,  mostly  burrowing  in  the  nitre-earth.    There 

12* 


138  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

are  some  small  water  insects  also,  which  I  sup- 
pose are  crustacean.  Unfortunately,  three  vials, 
containing  numerous  specimens  of  these  insects, 
were  lost  with  my  valise  from  the  stage-coach, 
and  I  fear  will  not  be  recovered. 

"  The  only  mammal,  except  the  bats,  observed 
in  the  Cave,  is  a  rat,  which  is  very  abundant, 
judging  from  the  tracks  which  they  make,  but 
so  shy  and  secluded  in  their  habits  that  they  are 
seldom  seen.  We  caught  two  of  them,  and,  for- 
tunately, they  were  male  and  female. 

"  The  chief  points  of  difference  from  the  com- 
mon rat,  in  external  characters,  are  in  the  color, 
which  is  bluish,  the  feet  and  belly  and  throat 
white,  the  coat,  which  is  of  soft /wr,  and  the  tail 
also  thinly  furred,  while  the  common,  or  Nor- 
way rat,  is  gray  or  brown,  and  covered  with 
rough  hair.  The  Cave  rat  is  possessed  of  dark, 
black  eyes,  of  the  size  of  a  rabbit's  eye,  and  en- 
tirely without  iris ;  the  feelers,  also,  are  uncom- 
monly long.  We  have  satisfied  ourselves  that 
he  is  entirely  blind  when  first  caught,  although 
his  eyes  are  so  large  and  lustrous." 

We  interrupt  Professor  Silliman  here  to  sug- 
gest that  the  inability  of  the  rat  to  see  was  per- 
haps owing  to  the  unaccustomed,  blinding  light  by 
which  it  was  examined.     It  will  be  seen  that  the 


I 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  139 

eye  of  the  animal,  gradually  accustomed  to  light, 
finally  becomes  adapted  to  the  new  medium,  and 
manifests  the  ability  of  exercising  the  sense  of 
sight.  This  being  the  fact,  it  is  to  be  inferred 
that  the  organs  of  vision  were  originally  in  a 
perfect  condition,  and  afterward  adapted  to  the 
state  of  darkness  in  which  the  animal  existed; 
which  may  be  conjectured  to  be  a  transitory  state 
to  a  total  obliteration  of  the  visual  organs,  as  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  fishes. 

Professor  Silliman  continues: 

"  By  keeping  them  [the  rats],  however,  in 
captivity,  and  in  diff'use  light,  they  gradually 
appeared  to  attain  some  power  of  vision.  They 
feed  on  apples  and  bread,  and  will  not  at  present 
[soon  after  capturing  them]  touch  animal  food. 
There  is  no  evidence  that  the  Cave  rats  ever 
visit  the  upper  air,  and  there  was  no  one  who 
could  tell  me  whether  they  were  or  were  not 
found  there  by  the  persons  who  first  entered  this 
place  in  1802.* 

"  Bats  are  numerous  in  the  avenues  within  a 
mile  or  two  of  the  mouth  of  the  Cave,  and  Mr. 
Mantell  thinks  he  has  secured  at  least  two  spe- 
cies.    Several  specimens  are  preserved  in  alco- 

*  As  before  stated,  the  Cave  was  not  discovered  until  1809. 


140  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

hol.  It  was  not  yet  quite  late  enough  in  the 
season  when  we  were  at  the  Cave,  Oct.  16th- 
22d,  for  all  the  bats  to  be  in  winter  quarters,  as 
the  season  was  very  open  and  warm.  Still,  in 
the  galleries  where  they  most  abound,  we  found 
countless  groups  of  them  on  the  ceilings,  chip- 
pering  and  scolding  for  a  foothold  among  each 
other.  On  one  little  patch  of  not  over  four  or 
five  inches,  we  counted  forty  bats,  and  were  sat- 
isfied that  one  hundred  and  twenty  at  least  were 
able  to  stand  on  the  surface  of  a  foot  square ; 
for  miles  they  are  found  in  patches  of  various 
sizes,  and  a  cursory  glance  satisfied  us  that  it 
was  quite  safe  to  estimate  them  by  millions.  In 
these  gloomy  and  silent  regions,  where  there  is 
neither  change  of  temperature  nor  difibrence  of 
light  to  warn  them  of  the  revolving  seasons,  how 
do  they  know  when  to  seek  again  the  outer  air 
when  the  winter  is  over,  and  their  long  sleep  is 
ended  ?  Surely,  He  who  made  them  has  not  left 
them  without  a  law  for  the  government  of  their 
lives." 

It  is  supposed  that  the  rats  obtain  their  sub- 
sistence chiefly  from  the  remnants  of  food  left  in 
various  parts  of  the  Cave  by  the  visitors. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


We  now  turn  our  faces  toward  the  outer 
world, — the  world  which  had,  until  this  mo- 
ment, been  forgotten.  We  had  been  beguiled 
along  from  one  scene  of  novelty  and  of  grandeur 
and  beauty  to  another;  ever  surprised  and  de- 
lighted with  the  endless  variety,  and  mutely 
wondering  what  next  would  appear,  until  at 
length  we  found  that  we  had  reached  the  end  of 
our  journey — the  "  Ultima  Thule  "  of  the  Cave, 
as  Stephen  was  wont  to  say — without  being  con- 
scious of  bodily  fatigue,  and  without  remember- 
ing that  we  had  already  been  eight  hours  away 
from  that  world  where  the  sun  shines,  where 
the  birds  sing,  and  the  fields  display  their  ver- 
dure. But  at  the  moment  of  turning  back  all 
these  thoughts  flood  over  us:  a  sense  of  phys- 
ical weariness  steals  on  us,  and  we  are  startled 
by  the  reflection  that  we  are  nine  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  and  that  there  is  no 
way  of  reaching  it  except  by  the  same  road  over 

(141) 


142  -         THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  ^ 

which  we  have  already  traveled,  and  by  walk- 
ing. Under  such  circumstances  we  feel  a  keen 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  horses  and  railroads. 

On  our  outward  journey  our  party  did  not 
manifest  the  same  degree  of  gayety  or  agility  as 
during  the  inward  passage.  The  contrast  was 
striking :  they  filed  along  with  heavy  gait,  and 
often  in  moody  silence, — it  being  frequently 
necessary  for  the  leaders  to  halt,  count  heads, 
and  drum  up  the  stragglers.  All  appeared  will- 
ing to  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to 
be  seated  without  being  fastidious  as  to  the 
character  of  the  seat. 

On  returning  through  Cleveland's  Cabinet,  all 
were  anxious  to  secure  specimens  of  the  flowers, 
etc.  The  floor  is  '  strewn  with  fragments  of 
these  flowers,  and  visitors  are  privileged  to  take 
therefrom  as  many  as  they  wish,  without  let  or 
hinderance,  but  are  not  permitted,  of  course,  to 
disturb  those  on  the  ceiling  or  walls.  Many  of 
the  party  selected  the  largest  they  could  find. 
We,  on  the  contrary,  took  pains  to  collect  a  va- 
riety of  the  smallest  that  would  give  a  proper 
idea  of  their  character,  anticipating  their  op- 
pressive weight  on  the  long  journey  yet  before 
us.  Our  conjectures  proved  correct.  Before 
proceeding  a  mile  several  of  the  party  began  to 
throw  down  their  specimens  without  a  word  of 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  143 

comment.  The  three  or  four  pounds  that  were 
in  our  coat  pockets  became  an  intolerable  burden 
upon  the  shoulders  and  neck.  A  young  gen- 
tleman from  Virginia,  a  Baptist  minister,  who 
accompanied  our  party,  very  accommodatingly 
proposed  that  we  should  place  our  specimens 
with  his  in  his  handkerchief,  and  carry  them 
alternately.  By  this  arrangement  we  succeeded 
between  us  in  bringing  out  a  very  fair  collection 
of  some  of  the  minor  curiosities  of  the  Cave. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  the  incidents  of 
our  outward  passage ;  they  possess  but  little  of 
interest.  We  made  our  exit  from  the  Cave, 
footsore  and  weary,  at  half-past  nine  o'clock  in 
the  evening,  having  been  under  ground  for  a 
period  of  twelve  hours  and  a  half  We  climbed 
the  rugged  hill  and  reached  the  hotel,  feeling  as 
though  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have 
walked  another  step. 

Though  being  exceedingly  fatigued,  for  the 
reason  that  we  had  long  been  unaccustomed  to 
much  pedestrian  exercise,  yet  we  felt  a  thousand 
times  repaid  for  our  exhaustion  in  having  visited 
a  new  world,  and  witnessed  with  our  own  eyes 
its  multiform  phases  of  wonder. 

Awaiting  our  return,  we  found  prepared  a 
bountiful  supper;  and,  happily,  all  were  in  a 
condition  to  do  it  full  justice. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


THE   SHORT   ROUTE. 


Gorin's  Dome. — Pensacola  Avenue. — Sparks'  Avenue,  and  Mau- 
moth  Dome. — Roaring  River. — Marion's  Avenue,  and  the  Star 
Chamber. 

After  the  first  day's  underground  journey  it 
is  decidedly  better  for  the  tourist  to  take  at  least 
twenty-four  hours  repose,  for  the  purpose  of 
recuperating  his  physical  forces,  before  under- 
taking further  explorations.  In  our  case  our 
programme  did  not  permit  such  a  disposition  of 
the  time. 

Although  we  had  slept  soundly  through  the 
night,  it  was  discovered  on  arising  in  the  morn- 
ing that  our  muscles  were  exceedingly  stiff  and 
sore.  The  greater  number  of  our  party,  not 
having  time  at  their  disposal  for  further  explora- 
tions, left  for  the.  North  immediately  after  break- 
fast. In  the  mean  time  three  or  four  new  visit- 
ors had  arrived.  Our  reduced  party  set  out  on 
the  Short  Route  at  half-past  nine  o'clock.  After 
exercising  for  a  time,  and  witnessing  new  scenes, 
we  soon  forgot  our  corporeal  fatigue. 
(144) 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  145 

We  proceeded  about  one  mile  by  the  same 
route  traveled  the  day  previous,  until  we  reached 
the  Deserted  Chamber.  Here  we  left  the  Long 
Route,  and,  turning  to  the  right,  descended  a 
pair  of  steps  and  entered  the  Labyrinth.  This  is 
a  narrow,  rugged  causeway.  The  only  object  of 
interest  to  be  found  in  it,  says  Dr.  Wright,  is  the 
figure  of  the  American  Eagle  on  the  left  wall. 
The  guide  did  not  regard  the  resemblance  of  this 
figure  to  the  bird,  after  which  it  is  named,  as  very 
striking,  but  stated  that  he  drew  our  attention 
to  it  for  the  reason  that  after  leaving  the  Cave 
we  would  probably  read  in  Dr.  Wright's  M.mual 
that  in  this  avenue  was  contained  the  figure  of 
the  American  Eagle,  and  we  would  then  censure 
the  memory  of  the  guide  for  not  having  pointed 
it  out  to  us.  We  compUmented  the  guide's 
views  of  ornithology,  as  also  his  conscientious 
discharge  of  duty. 

Gorin's  Dome,  a  curiosity  of  considerable  mag- 
nitude, is  reached  by  passing  over  a  small  bridge 
and  ascending  a  ladder,  ten  feet  in  height,  in 
the  Labyrinth.  It  is  viewed  from  a  natural  win- 
dow",  situated  equidistant  between  the  floor  and 
the  ceiling  of  the  Dome.  We  are  told  by  Dr. 
Wright  that  it  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in 
height  and  sixty  feet  across  its  widest  part.    The 

13 


146  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

farther  side  presents  a  striking  resemblance  to  an 
immense  curtain,  which  extends  from  the  ceiling 
to  within  forty  feet  of  the  floor.  The  window 
through  which  Gorin's  Dome  is  viewed  is  circu- 
lar in  form,  and  not  more  than  two  or  three  feet 
in  diameter,  allowing  but  one  person  at  a  time 
to  enjoy  the  view  of  the  interior.  By  imagin- 
ing an  immense  well  or  deep  circular  excavation 
in  the  earth,  without  any  opening  at  top  or  bot- 
tom, and  supposing  one's  self  to  approach  it  about 
the  center,  or  at  a  point  midway  between  the 
floor  and  ceiling,  and  finding  a  small  aperture 
through  which  a  view  of  it  can  be  obtained, 
would  we  not  feel  almost  as  much  astonished  at 
the  novelty  of  the  point  of  view  as  we  would  on 
beholding  the  curiosity  itself? 

Bayard  Taylor  speaks  thus  of  this  Dome  : 
"  We  now  reached  another  pit,  idong  the 
brink  of  which  we  walked,  clambered  up  a  ledge, 
and  at  last  found  a  window-like  opening,  where 
Alfred  (the  guide)  bade  us  pause.  Leaning  over 
the  thin  partition  wall,  the  light  of  our  united 
lamps  disclosed  a  vast  glimmering  hall,  the  top 
of  which  vanished  into  darkness,  and  the  bottom 
of  which  we  could  only  conjecture  by  the  loud, 
hollow  splash  of  water-drops  that  came  up  out 
of  the  terrible  gloom.     Directly  in  front  of  us 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  147 

hung  a  gigantic  mass  of  rock,  which,  in  its  folds 
and  masses,  presented  a  wonderful  resemblance 
to  a  curtain.  It  had  a  regular  fringe  of  stalac- 
tites, and  there  was  a  short  outer  curtain  over- 
lapping it  at  the  top.  The  length  of  this  piece 
of  limestone  drapery  could  not  have  been  less 
than  one  hundred  feet.  In  a  few  moments, 
Alfred,  who  had  left  us,  reappeared  at  another 
window  on  the  right  hand,  where  he  first  dropped 
some  burning  paper  into  the  gulf,  and  then  kin- 
dled a  Bengal-light.  It  needed  this  illumination 
to  enable  us  to  take  in  the  grand  dimensions  of 
the  Dome.  We  could  see  the  oval  arch  of  the 
roof  a  hundred  feet  above  our  heads ;  the  floor 
studded  with  stalagmitic  pedestals  as  far  below ; 
while  directly  in  front  the  huge  curtain  that 
hung  from  the  center  of  the  Dome — the  veil  of 
some  subterranean  mystery — shone  rosy-white, 
and  seemed  to  wave  and  swing,  pendulous  in  the 
awful  space.  We  were  thoroughly  thrilled  and 
penetrated  with  the  exceeding  sublimity  of  the 
picture,  and  turned  away  reluctantly  as  the 
fires  burned  out,  feeling  that  if  the  Cave  had 
nothing  else  to  show,  its  wonders  had  not  been 
exaggerated." 

Gorin's  Dome  was  formed  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  Side-Saddle  Pit,  which,  it  will  be  reraem- 


148  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

bered,  was  by  the  solvent  action  of  water 
charged  with  carbonic  acid. 

We  are  told  that  there  are  avenues  which 
communicate  with  the  top  and  bottom  of  the 
Dome.  When  Echo  River  rises,  the  floor  of  the 
Dome  is  covered  with  water,  in  which  eyeless 
fish  are  sometimes  found. 

Gorin's  Dome  bears  the  name  of  its  discoverer, 
and  former  proprietor  of  the  Cave. 

Pensacola  Avenue  is  about  a  mile  in  length, 
from  eight  to  sixty  feet  in  height,  and  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  in  width.  It  is  entered 
from  Revelers'  Hall. 

The  following  objects  are  worthy  of  exam- 
ination : 

1.  The  Sea-Turtle  is  about  thirty  feet  in 
diameter.  The  rock  of  which  it  is  composed 
has  fallen  from  the  ceiling 

2.  The  Wild  Hall  in  size  and  appearance 
resembles  Bandit's  Hall.  Bunyan's  Way,  which 
communicates  with  Great  Relief,  enters  Pensa- 
cola Avenue  at  this  point. 

3.  Snowball  Arched  Way  receives  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  its  ceiling  is  covered  with 
nodules  of  gypsum,  like  those  in  the  Snowball 
Room. 

4.  The  Great  Crossing  is  the  point  at  which 
four  avenues  take  their  origin. 


.% 


n^  JJi^al  Steaan. IM..C1,. ThUa. 


ANGELICA'S   GROTTO 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  149 

5.  Mat's  Arcade  is  fifty  yards  long,  thirty 
feet  wide,  and  sixty  in  height. 

Between  the  floor  and  ceiUng  there  are  four 
beautiful  terraces,  which  extend  the  full  length 
of  the  Arcade. 

There  is  a  collection  of  beautiful  stalactites, 
called  the  Pine-Apple  Bush,  in  Mat's  Arcade. 

6.  Angelico  Grotto,  the  ceiling  and  walls  of 
which  are  incrusted  with  crystals  of  carbonate 
of  lime,  is  a  beautiful  apartment.  The  artists 
have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  very  handsome 
photograph  of  this  grotto,  in  the  couch  of  which 
a  young  girl  was  reclining  at  the  time  of  its  ex- 
ecution. We  find  the  following  lines  in  the 
Rev.  Horace  Martin's  book,  addressed  to  this 
fairy  grotto: 

"  Some  Fairy  of  the  oldea  time 

Her  dwelling  sure  had  here, 
And  here  she  rested,  with  no  grief 

To  shade  her  spirits  clear. 
How  fit  the  place  for  one  like  her — 

So  fanciful  and  light — 
A  creature  jocund  as  the  dawn, 

And  as  the  morning  bright. 
A  spot  like  this,  did  he,  the  Bard 

Of  Avon's  fiow'ry  stream. 
Imagine,  where,  in  '  frenzy  fine,' 

He  had  his  wanton  '  Dream.' 
Titania  here  might  move  along, 

And  Puck  his  frolics  play, 
13* 


150  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

And  Hermia,  in  her  race  of  love, 

Outpace  the  hours  of  day. 
The  fancy  sees  them  passing  now, 

How  beautiful  they  seem  ! 
And  now  they're  gone — we  have  them  not, 

They  vanish'd  in  the  gloom." 

Pensacola  Avenue  terminates  about  half  a 
mile  beyond  Angelico  Grotto,  in  a  low  archway. 

Sparks'  Avenue  extends  from  River  Hall  to 
the  Mammoth  Dome,  a  distance  of  three-fourths 
of  a  mile. 

The  objects  of  interest  in  this  avenue  occur 
in  the  foUowino;  order  : 

1.  Bandits'  Hall  is  sixty  feet  long  and  forty 
wide,  the  Hoor  of  which  is  covered  with  large 
rocks  that  have  been  detached  from  the  ceiling. 
It  is  truly  a  wild-looking  hall ;  its  appearance 
naturally  suggesting  the  name.  Here  bandits 
might  retire,  and  hold  their  revels  in  perfect 
security. 

To  the  right  of  Bandits'  Hall  is  an  avenue 
of  great  extent,  which  has  not  been  fully  ex- 
plored, called  Brigg's  Avenue. 

2.  Newman's  Spine  is  about  ten  feet  in 
length,  and  consists  of  a  crevice  in  the  center 
of  the  ceiling,  which  is  the  exact  image  of  a 
cast  of  a  gigantic  backbone. 

3.  Sylvan    Avenue    extends    from    Sparks' 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  151 

Avenue  to  Clarissa's  Dome,  and  is  about  three 
hundred  yards  in  length.  This  avenue  con- 
tains a  number  of  ferruginous  logs,  which  vary 
from  five  to  fifteen  inches  in  diameter.  Some 
of  them  appear  to  be  chopped  in  half;  others 
have  lost  a  portion  of  bark,  displaying  a  white 
surface  of  petrous  wood ;  and  others  again  look 
as  though  they  were  in  a  state  of  partial  decay. 
Anywhere  else  these  masses  of  stone  might  be 
mistaken  for  petrified  wood. 

Clarissa's  Dome  is  entered  at  its  base.  It 
resembles  Gorin's  Dome,  but  is  much  smaller. 

4.  Bennett's  Point  is  directly  opposite  Sylvan 
Avenue,  where  the  avenue  turns  at  an  acute 
angle  to  the  right.  The  floor  of  the  avenue  at 
this  point  is  covered  with  yellow  sand. 

5.  Bishop's  Gorge  is  a  low  and  narrow  part 
of  the  avenue,  which  is  passed  with  difficulty. 

Sparks'  Avenue  is  named  in  honor  of  Mr. 
C.  A.  Sparks,  of  New  York. 

The  Mammotli  Dome  is  viewed  from  a  ter- 
race about  forty  feet  from  its  base.  It  is  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  in  appear- 
ance closely  resembles  Gorin's  Dome,  but  is  more 
than  five  times  as  large.  At  the  left  extremity 
of  the  dome  there  are  five  large  pillars  cut  out  of 
the  solid  rock,  called  the  Corinthian  Columns. 


152  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

The  awful  sublimity  of  this  dome,  when 
strongly  illuminated,  exceeds  anything  ever  pic- 
tured to  a  mind  frenzied  by  opium  or  hashish. 

The  Mammoth  Dome  is  still  enlarging. 

The  brief  time  that  we  were  unfortunately 
restricted  to  when  we  visited  the  Cave,  did 
not  permit  us  to  make  a  personal  inspection 
of  either  Pensacola  Avenue  or  Sparks'  Avenue 
and  Mammoth  Dome,  which  we  very  much 
regret,  and  therefore  are  wholly  indebted  to 
Dr.  Wright  for  the  description  which  we  have 
just  given. 

Ihere  are  several  avenues  not  often  fre- 
quented by  visitors,  of  which  we  need  make 
no  mention  whatever, — for  the  very  good 
reason  that  we  have  no  information  to  offer. 

Roaring  River  is  another  portion  of  the  Cave 
which  we  did  not  visit,  but  Dr.  Wright  informs 
us  that  the  avenue  which  communicates  with 
Roaring  River  is  entered  at  Cascade  Hall,  and 
is  half  a  mile  in  length.  He  adds,  that  Roar- 
ing River  resembles  Echo  River  in  size  and  ap- 
pearance, but'  has  a  louder  echo.  There  is  a 
cascade  which  falls  into  it,  from  which  proceeds 
roaring  sounds,  and  from  which  it  has  received 
its  name. 

Eyeless  fish  and  eyeless  crawfish  are  found  in 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  153 

Roaring  River,  as  well  as  sunfish  and  black 
crawfish,  both  of  which  are  provided  with 
eyes. 

Marion's  Avenue,  Dr.  Wright  informs  us,  is 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  arises  in 
Washington  Hall.  Tt  varies  from  twenty  to 
sixty  feet  in  width,  and  from  eight  to  forty  in 
height.  The  floor  is  covered  with  sand,  and 
the  walls  are  composed  of  white  limestone, 
which  resembles  cumulus  clouds.  The  far  end 
of  the  avenue  divides  into  two  branches, — that 
to  the  right  leading  to  Paradise  and  Portia's 
Parterre,  and  that  to  the  left  to  Zoe's  Grotto. 

The  walls  and  ceiling  of  the  avenue  termed 
Paradise  are  covered  with  gypsum  flowers. 
There  is  a  dome  in  Paradise  Avenue  which 
is  composed  of  sandstone.  It  is  called  Digby's 
Dome. 

Portia's  Parterre  is  entered  from  the  left 
wall  of  Paradise  Avenue.  It  is  half  a  mile  in 
length,  and  contains  the  same  kind  of  flowers 
that  are  found  in  Cleveland's  Cabinet.  It  was 
discovered  about  twelve  years  ago,  and  is  com- 
monly known  as  the  New  Discovery. 

Upon  leaving  Gorin's  Dome  we  returned  to 
the  Giant's  Coffin,  on  our  way  to  the  Star 
Chamber. 


154  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

The  Star  Chamber  is  situated  in  the  Main 
Cave,  which  leads  off  to  the  left^  as  you  enter, 
at  the  Giant's  Coffin,  as  before  mentioned.  It 
is  sixty  feet  in  height,  seventy  in  width,  and 
about  five  hundred  in  length.  The  ceiling  is 
composed  of  black  gypsum,  and  is  studded  with 
innumerable  white  points,  which,  by  a  dim  light, 
present  a  most  striking  resemblance  to  stars. 
These  points,  or  stars,  are  produced,  in  part,  by 
an  efflorescence  of  Glauber's  salts  beneath  the 
black  gypsum,  which  causes  it  to  scale  off,  and 
in  part  by  throwing  stones  against  it,  by  which 
it  is  detached  from  the  white  limestone.  In  the 
far  extremity  of  the  chamber  a  large  mass  has 
been  separated,  by  which  a  white  surface  is  ex- 
posed, termed  the  Comet. 

We  give  below  the  observations  and  remarks 
of  Bayard  Taylor  on  approaching  the  Star 
Chamber,  and  his  impressions  upon  witnessing 
it.     He  says : 

"We  passed  several  stone  and  frame  houses, 
some  of  which  were  partly  in  ruin.  The  guide 
pointed  them  out  as  the  residence  of  a  number 
of  consumptive  patients,  who  came  here  in  Sep- 
tember, 1843,  and  remained  until  January.  'I 
was  one  of  the  waiters  who  attended  upon 
them,'  said  Alfred.     '  I  used  to  stand  on  that 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  155 

rock  and  blow  the  horn  to  call  them  to  dmner. 
There  were  fifteen  of  them,  and  they  looked 
more  like  a  company  of  skeletons  than  anything 
else.'  One  of  the  number  died  here.  His  case 
was  hopeless  when  he  entered,  and  even  when 
conscious  that  his  end  was  near  he  refused  to 
leave.  I  can  conceive  of  one  man  being  bene- 
fited by  a  residence  in  the  Cave,  but  the  idea 
of  a  company  of  lank,  cadaverous  invalids  wan- 
dering about  in  the  awful  gloom  and  silence, 
broken  only  by  their  hollow  coughs — doubly 
hollow  and  sepulchral  there — is  terrible.  On  a 
mound  of  earth  near  the  Dining-Room  I  saw 
some  cedar-trees,  which  had  been  planted  there 
as  an  experiment.  They  were  entirely  dead, 
but  the  experiment  can  hardly  be  considered 
final,  as  the  cedar  is,  of  all  trees,  the  most  easily 
injured  by  being  transplanted." 

It  is  surprising  that  such  an  observing  traveler 
as  Mr.  Taylor  should  have  fallen  into  so  pal- 
pable an  error  as  to  imagine  that  trees,  or  any 
other  species  of  vegetation,  could  possibly  main- 
tain vitality  under  circumstances  where  light, 
moisture,  and  heat  are  absent.  This  part  of  the 
Cave  is  perfectly  dry ;  but  the  want  of  light 
would  alone  be  sufficient  to  prevent,  or  destroy 
vegetation. 


156  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Mr.  Taylor  continues:  "I  now  noticed  that 
the  ceiling  became  darker,  and  that  the  gray 
cornice  of  the  walls  stood  out  from  it  in  strong 
relief.  Presently  it  became  a  sheet  of  unvarying 
blackness,  which  reflected  no  light,  like  a  cloudy 
night-sky  All  at  once  a  few  stars  glimmered 
through  the  void,  then  more  and  more,  and  a 
firmament  as  far  off  and  vast,  apparently,  as 
that  which  arches  over  the  outer  world,  hung 
above  our  heads.  We  were  in  the  celebrated 
Star  Chamber.  Leaning  upon  a  rock  which  lay 
upon  the  right  side  of  the  avenue,  we  looked 
upward,  lost  in  wonder  at  the  marvelous  illu- 
sion. It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  effect  of 
this  mock  sky.  Your  reason  vainly  tells  you 
that  it  is  but  a  crust  of  black  gypsum,  sprinkled 
wdtli  points  of  the  white  limestone  beneath, 
seventy-five  feet  above  your  head.  You  see  that 
it  is  a  fathomless  heaven,  with  its  constellations 
twinkling  in  the  illimitable  space.  You  are  no 
longer  upon  this  earth.  You  are  in  a  thunder- 
riven  gorge  of  the  mountains  of  Jupiter,  looking 
up  at  the  strange  firmament  of  that  darker 
planet.  You  see  other  constellations  rising,  far 
up  in  the  abyss  of  midnight,  and  witness  the 
occultation  of  remoter  stars." 

The  starry  firmament  which  Mr.  Taylor  has 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  157 

SO  graphically  described,  could  not  be  seen  to 
advantage  under  ordinary  circumstances, — every 
visitor  having  his  lamp  in  hand.  The  guide 
seats  the  visitors  upon  a  bench  provided  for  the 
purpose,  placed  against  the  right  wall  of  the 
avenue;  he  then  takes  all  the  lamps  from  the 
party,  and,  stepping  back  ten  or  fifteen  feet,  on 
the  same  side,  he  holds  them  within  a  small 
recess  naturally  formed  in  the  rock,  in  such  a 
manner  that  none  of  the  direct  rays  of  the 
light  fall  upon  the  eyes  of  the  beholder,  but  are 
thrown  upon  the  ceiling.  By  this  manoeuvre 
the  illusion  of  a  starry  sky  is  as  complete  as  it 
is  possible  to  be ;  a  perfect  representation  of  a 
comet,  as  if  especially  provided  to  add  to  the 
reality  of  the  sublime  scene,  is  also  plainly  dis- 
coverable in  the  distance. 

After  indulging  the  visitors  in  the  fascination 
of  the  scene  long  enough  to  produce  a  lasting 
impression,  the  guide,  with  the  lamps,  passes  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  avenue,  in  front  of  us, 
leaving  us  seated  as  before,  and  descends  into 
the  -mouth  of  an  avenue  still  lower.  As  he 
slowly  disappears  below,  we  have  the  finest  dis- 
play of  lights  and  shadow^s  that  it  is  possible  to 
imagine.  A  black  cloud  gradually  passes  over 
the  sky,  and  it  is  difficult  to  divest  one's  self  of 

14 


1-38  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

the  idea  that  a  storm  is  approaching.  Tt  needs 
bat  the  flash  of  lightning  and  the  roar  of  thunder 
to  make  the  ilUision  complete. 

After  producing  the  storm  illusion,  the  guide 
disappears  entirely  with  the  lamps  through  the 
nether  avenue  which  communicates  with  the  one 
by  which  we  entered  several  hundred  yards  in 
the  rear.  We  are  thus  left  in  total  darkness, 
without  even  the  sight  of  the  midnight  sky  to 
console  us.  Of  these  moments,  Bayard  Taylor 
remarks  :  "Yes,  this  is  darkness— solid,  palpable 
darkness.  Stretch  out  your  hand  and  you  can 
^grasp  it;  open  your  mouth  and  it  will  choke 
you.  Such  must  have  been  the  primal  chaos 
before  Space  was,  or  Form  was,  or  '  Let  there  be 
light!'  had  been  spoken.  In  the  intense  stillness 
I  could  hear  the  beating  of  my  heart,  and  the 
humming  sound  made,  by  the  blood  in  its  circu- 
lation." 

After  waiting  a  short  time,  sufficiently  long 
to  enable  us  to  appreciate  the  sense  of  total  dark- 
ness, we  observed  the  faintest  rays  of  daylight 
in  the  eastern  horizon ;  and  then,  to  heighten 
the  illusion,  we  heard  the  well-imitated  crow  of 
chanticleer.  Day  was  breaking  after  that  period 
of  awful  darkness;  lighter  and  lighter  came  the 
morning  as  the  guide  slowly  approached, — for  it 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  159 

was  he, — until  finally  his  lights  came  in  full 
view,  giving  us  one  of  the  finest  artificial  sunrises 
that  could  possibly  be  produced. 

The  sights  and  illusions  of  the  Star  Chamber 
are  so  wonderful  and  so  complete,  that  when  we 
reluctantly  take  our  leave  of  it,  we  feel  as  though 
we  had  passed  a  night  in  a  new  world,  and  that 
the  morning  had  unexpectedly  broken  upon  us 
before  our  astonished  faculties  had  had  time  to 
comprehend  the  extraordinary  transition  of  time 
and  circumstances. 

With  the  exception  of  Echo  River,  says  Dr. 
"Wright,  the  Star  Chamber  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
attractive  object  in  the  Cave. 

The  Floating  Cloud  Room  connects  the  Star 
Chamber  with  Proctor's  Arcade. 

The  clouds  are  produced  by  the  scaling  off  of 
black  gypsum  from  the  ceiling,  by  an  efflores- 
cence of  the  sulphate  of  soda  beneath  it,  by  which 
a  white  surface  is  exposed.  They  appear  to  be 
drifting  from  the  Star  Chamber  over  the  Chief 
City.  The  Cloud  Room  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
in  length,  and  in  height  and  width  corresponds 
with  the  Star  Chamber. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

proctor's  arcade. KIXNET's  arena. WRIGHT'S  RO- 
TUNDA.— FAIRY  GROTTO. — THE  CHIEF  CITY,  AND  GREAT 
CROSSINGS. 

Proctor's  Arcade,  which  is  entered  imme- 
diately beyond  the  Star  Chamber,  is,  says  Dr. 
Wright,  the  most  magnificent  natural  tunnel  in 
the  world.  It  is  a  hundred  feet  in  width,  forty- 
five  in  height,  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in 
length.  The  ceiling  is  smooth,  and  the  walls 
vertical,  and  look  as  though  they  had  been 
chiseled  out  of  the  solid  rock. 

AVhen  this  tunnel  is  illuminated  with  a  Bengal- 
light  at  Kinney's  Arena,  which  is  its  western 
terminus,  the  view  is  magnificent  beyond  con- 
ception. This  arcade  is  named  in  honor  of  Mr. 
L.  J.  Proctor,  the  proprietor  of  the  Cave  Hotel. 

Kinney's  Arena  is  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter 
and  fifty  feet  in  height.  From  the  ceiling,  in  the 
center  of  the  Arena,  there  projects  a  stick,  three 
feet  in  length  and  two  inches  in  diameter.  It 
rests  parallel  with  the  ceiling,  and  is  inserted 
(160) 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  161 

into  a  crevice  in  the  rock.  How  it  was  placed 
in  its  present  position  is  a  difficult  question  to 
settle,  inasmuch  as  it  could  not  have  been  in- 
serted in  the  position  it  occupies  by  artificial 
means. 

After  passing  the  S  Bend,  which  has  no  par- 
ticular points  of  attraction,  Wright's  Rotunda  is 
entered. 

This  Rotunda  is  four  hundred  feet  in  its 
shortest  diameter.  The  ceiling  is  from  ten  to 
forty-five  feet  in  height,  and  is  perfectly  level, 
the  apparent  difference  in  height  being  produced 
by  the  irregularity  of  the  floor.  It  is  astonish- 
ing that  the  ceiling  has  strength  to  sustain  itself, 
for  it  is  not  more  than  fifty  feet  from  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  Fortunately  the  Cave  at  this 
point  is  perfectly  dry,  and  no  change  of  any 
kind  is  transpiring  in  it,  otherwise  there  might 
be  some  risk  of  it  falling  in,  as  evidences  of  such 
occurrences  are  to  be  found  in  the  surrounding 
country. 

When  this  immense  area  is  illuminated  at 
the  two  extremes  simultaneously,  it  presents  a 
most  magnificent  appearance. 

At  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Rotunda  is  a 
column,  four  feet  in  diameter,  extending  from 

14* 


162  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

the  floor  to  the  ceiling,  termed  Nicholas'  Monu- 
ment, after  one  of  the  old  colored  guides. 

The  Fox  Avenue  communicates  with  the  Eo- 
tunda  and  S  Bend.  It  is  about  five  hundred 
yards  in  length,  and  is  worth  exploring. 

A  short  distance  beyond  Wright's  Rotunda 
the  Main  Cave  sends  off  several  avenues  or 
branches.  That  to  the  left  leads  to  the  Black 
Chamber,  which  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  leet 
wide  and  twenty  in  height,  the  walls  and  ceil- 
ing of  which  are  incrusted  with  black  gypsum. 
It  is  the  most  gloomy  room  in  the  Cave. 

There  are  two  avenues  leading  off  to  the 
right.  The  far  one  communicates  with  Fairy 
Grotto,  which  contains  a  most  magnificent  col- 
lection of  stalagmites.  It  is  a  mile  in  length. 
The  other  avenue  communicates  with  Solitary 
Cave,  at  the  entrance  of  which  there  is  a  small 
cascade. 

"  We  will  at  once  enter  the  Fairy  Grotto  of 
the  Solitary  Cave.  It  is  in  truth  a  fairy  grotto; 
a  countless  number  of  stalactites  are  seen  ex- 
tending, at  irregular  distances,  from  the  roof  to 
the  floor,  of  various  sizes  and  of  the  most  fantas- 
tic shapes, — some  quite  straight,  some  crooked, 
some  large  and  hollow, — forming  irregularly 
fluted  colunms;  and  some  solid  near  the  ceihng. 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  163 

and  divided  lower  down  into  a  great  number  of 
small  branches  like  the  roots  of  trees,  exhibit- 
ing the  appearance  of  a  coral  grove.  Hanging 
our  lamps  to  the  incrustations  on  the  columns, 
the  grove  of  stalactites  became  faintly  lighted 
up,  disclosing  a  scene  of  extraordinary  wildness 
and  beauty.  'This  is  nothing  to  what  you  will 
see  on  the  other  side  of  the  rivers,'  cries  our 
guide,  smiling  at  our  enthusiastic  admiration. 
W>th  all  its  present  beauty,  this  grotto  is  far 
from  being  what  it  was  before  it  was  despoiled 
and  robbed  some  eight  or  nine  years  ago  by  a 
set  of  vandals,  who,  through  sheer  wantonness, 
broke  many  of  the  stalactites,  leaving  them 
strewn  on  the  floor,  a  disgraceful  memorial  of 
their  vulgar  propensities  and  barbarian-like  con- 
duct."* 

What  is  called  the  Chief  City  is  situated  in 
the  Main  Cave  beyond  the  Rocky  Pass. 

It  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and 
forty  in  height.  The  floor  is  covered  at  different 
points  with  piles  of  rock,  which  present  the 
appearance  of  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  city. 

Of  this,  and   contiguous  parts  of  the  Cave, 


*  Rambles  in  the  Mammoth  Cave,  during  the  year  1844,  by  a 
Visitor,  pp.  54,  55. 


164  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

Bayard  Taylor  says :  ••  Just  one  mile  from  the 
Star  Chamber  a  rough  stone  ckoss  has  been 
erected  to  denote  that  the  distance  has  been 
carefully  measured.  The  floor  here  rises  con- 
siderably, which  contracts  the  dimensions  of  the 
avenue,  although  they  are  still  on  a  grand  scale. 
About  half  a  mile  farther  we  come  to  the  Great 
Crossings,  where  five  avenues  meet.  In  the  dim 
light  it  resembled  the  interior  of  a  great  cathe- 
dral, whose  arched  roof  is  a  hundred  feet  ab«ve 
its  pavement.  Turning  to  the  left,  at  right 
angles  to  our  former  direction,  we  walked  (still 
following  the  Main  Avenue)  some  ten  minutes 
farther,  when  the  passage  debouched  into  a  spa- 
cious hall,  with  a  cascade  pouring  from  the  very 
summit  of  its  lofty  dome.  Beyond  and  adjoin- 
ing it  was  a  second  hall,  of  nearly  equal  dimen- 
sions, with  another  cascade  falling  from  its  roof. 
We  turned  again  to  the  right,  finding  the  avenue 
still  more  irregular  and  contracted  than  before, 
but  had  not  advanced  far  before  its  ceiling  began 
to  rise,  showing  a  long  slope  of  loosely  piled 
rocks,  lying  in  strong  relief  against  a  back- 
ground of  unfathomable  darkness. 

"I  climbed  the  rocks  and  sat  down  on  the 
highest  pinnacle,  while  Stephen  descended  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  slope,  and  kindled  two  or 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  106 

three  Bengal-lights,  which  he  had  saved  for  the 
occasion.  It  needed  a  stronger  illumination 
than  our  lamps  could  afford  to  enable  me  to 
comprehend  the  stupendous  dimensions  of  this 
grandest  of  underground  chambers.  I  will  give 
the  figures,  but  they  convey  only  a  faint  idea 
of  its  colossal  character:  length,  eight  hundred 
feet;  breadth,  three  hundred  feet;  height,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  feet;  area,  between  four 
and  five  acres.  Martin's  picture  of  Satan's  Coun- 
cil-Hall in  Pandemonium  would  hardly  seem  ex- 
aggerated if  ofiered  as  a  representation  of  the 
Chief  City,  so  far  and  vanishing  is  the  per- 
spective of  its  extremities,  so  tremendous  the 
span  of  its  gigantic  dome. 

"  I  sat  upon  the  summit  of  the  hill  until  the 
last  fires  had  burned  out,  and  the  hall  became 
even  more  vast  and  awful  in  the  waninsr  liirht  of 
our  lamps.  Then  taking  a  last  look  backward 
through  the  arch  of  the  avenue, — to  my  mind  the 
most  impressive  view, — we  returned  to  the  Hall 
of  the  Cascades.  Stephen  proposed  showing  me 
the  Fairy  Grotto,  which  was  not  fiir  off;  and  to 
accomplish  that  end  I  performed  a  grievous 
amount  of  stooping  and  crawling  in  the  Solitary 
Cave.  The  Grotto,  which  js  a  delicate  stalactite 
chamber,  resembling  a  Gothic  oratory,  was  very 


166  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

picturesque  and  elegant,  and  I  did  not  regret  the 
trouble  I  had  taken  to  reach  it."  v 

To  show  the  similarity  of  the  impressions  pro- 
duced upon  different  individuals  by  these  novel 
and  remarkable  sights,  we  quote  from  the  "Vis- 
itor," who,  in  turn,  quotes  from  Mr.  Lee : 

"  Returning  from  the  Fairy  Grotto,  we  entered 
the  Main  Cave  at  the  Cataract,  and  continued 
our  walk  to  the  Chief  City,  or  Temple,  which  is 
thus  described  by  Lee,  in  his  '  Notes  on  the 
Mammoth  Cave': 

"'The  Temple  is  an  inmiense  vault  covering 
an  area  of  two  acres,  and  covered  by  a  single 
dome  of  solid  rock,  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
high.  It  excels  in  size  the  Cave  of  Staffa ;  and 
rivals  the  celebrated  vault  in  the  Grotto  of  An- 
tiparos,  which  is  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the 
world.  In  passing  through  from  one  end  to  the 
other,  the  dome  appears  t(j  follow  like  the  sky  in 
passing  from  place  to  place  on  the  earth.  In  the 
middle  of  the  dome  there  is  a  large  mound  of 
rocks  rising  on  one  side,  nearly  to  the  top,  very 
steep,  and  forming  what  is  called  the  Mountain. 
When  first  I  ascended  this  mound  from  the  Cave 
below  I  was  struck  with  a  feeling  of  awe  more 
deep  and  intense  than  anything  that  I  had  ever 
before  experienced.     I  could  only  observe  the 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  \  167 

narrow  circle  which  was  illuminated  immediately 
around  me  ;  alcove  and  beyond  was  apparently  an 
unlimited  space,  in  which  the  ear  could  catch  not 
the  slightest  sound,  nor  the  eye  find  an  object  to 
rest  upon.  It  was  filled  with  silence  and  dark- 
ness ;  and  yet  I  knew  that  I  was  beneath  the 
earth,  and  that  this  space,  however  large  it  might 
be,  was  actually  bounded  by  solid  walls.  My 
curiosity  was  rather  excited  than  gratified.  In 
order  that  I  might  see  the  whole  in  one  con- 
nected view  I  built  fires  in  many  places  with 
the  pieces  of  cane  that  I  found  scattered  among 
the  rocks.  Then  taking  my  stand  on  the  Mount- 
ain, a  scene  was  presented  of  surprising  magnifi- 
cence. On  the  opposite  side  the  strata  of  gray 
limestone,  breaking  up  by  steps  from  the  bottom, 
could  scarcely  be  discerned  in  the  distance  by  the 
glimmering  light.  Above  was  the  lofty  dome, 
closed  at  the  top  by  a  smooth,  oval  slab,  beauti- 
fully defined  in  the  outline,  from  which  the  walls 
sloped  away  on  the  right  and  left  into  thick 
darkness.  Every  one  has  heard  of  the  dome  of 
the  Mosque  of  St.  Sophia,  of  St.  Peter's  and  of 
St.  Paul's ;  they  are  never  spoken  of  but  in  terms 
of  admiration,  as  the  chief  works  of  architecture, 
and  among  the  noblest  and  most  stupendous  ex- 
amples of  what    man    can    do  when  aided   by 


168  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

science ;  and  yet  when  compared  with  the  dome 
of  this  Temple,  they  sink  into  comparative  insig- 
nificance. Such  is  the  surpassing  grandeur  of 
Nature's  works.' 

"To  us,"  adds  "Visitor,"  "the  Temple  seemed 
to  merit  the  glowing  description  above  given ; 
but  what  would  Lee  think,  on  being  told  that 
since  the  discovery  of  the  rivers,  and  the  world 
of  beauties  beyond  them,  not  one  person  in  fifty 
visits  the  Temple  or  the  Fairy  Grotto;  they 
are  now  looked  upon  as  tame  and  uninter- 
ng.  ^ 

From  these  justly-merited  descriptions  of  this 
portion  of  the  Cave  the  reader  may  form  some 
concej^tion  of  the  surpassing  beauty  and  mag- 
nificence of  other  parts,  when  infjrmed,  as 
above,  that  the  Chief  City  is  now  very  rarely 
visited. 

From  the  Chief  City  to  the  end  of  the  Main 
Cave,  a  distance  of  three  miles,  there  are 
several  points  at  which  the  appearance  which 
this  avenue  presented  when  filled  with  running 
water  may  be  observed,  where  the  overhanging 
cliffs  closely  resemble  those  in  the  Pass  of  El 
Ghor,  of  recent  formation. 

*  Rambles,  etc.,  pp.  55,  56,  57. 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  169 

The  Main  Cave  is  terminated  abruptly  by 
rocks  that  have  fallen  from  above.  It  must 
not,  however,  be  supposed  that  this  is  the  end 
of  it,  for  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was 
closed  at  this  point  in  the  same  manner  as 
Dickson's  Cave  was  terminated,  and  that  the 
removal  of  the  obstructing  rock  would  open  a 
communication  with  a  cave  of  the  same  size  as 
the  one  v^e  have  been  attempting  to  describe. 

Retracing  our  steps  by  the  route  just  passed 
over,  we  now  return  to  the  Second  Hoppers, 
used  by  the  saltpetre  miners,  mount  a  flight  of 
wooden  steps,  fifteen  feet  high,  to  the  right  of 
the  Gothic  Galleries,  and  enter  the  Gothic 
Arcade. 


15 


I 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

OF   ANCIENT   MUMMIES    FOUND   IN   THE    CAVE. 

Upon  ascending  the  ladder,  and  entering  the 
Gothic  Arcade,  the  first  object  to  which  our 
attention  is  directed  is  what  is  called  the  Seat 
of  the  Mummy,  which  consists  of  a  niche  in  the 
left  wall  of  the  avenue,  about  forty  yards  from 
the  steps,  just  large  enough  to  accommodate  a 
human  being  with  a  comfortable  seat. 

Dr.  Wright  informs  us  that  the  body  of  an 
Indian  female  was  found  in  this  niche,  dressed 
in  the  skins  of  wild  animals,  and  ornamented 
with  the  trinkets  usually  worn  by  the  taborig- 
ines.  We  are  also  told,  by  the  same  authority, 
that,  within  a  few  feet  distant,  was  at  the  same 
time  discovered  the  body  of  an  Indian  child, 
attired  in  a  similar  manner,  and  in  a  sitting 
posture,  resting  against  the  wall.  Both  bodies 
are  said  to  have  been  in  a  mummified  condition. 
Dr.  Wright  suggests  that  they  wandered  into 
this  avenue,  and,  becoming  bewildered,  sat 
{110)  ' 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  171 

down  and  died  in  the  position  in  which  they 
were  found. 

Dr.  Wright  does  not  state  what  became  of 
the  bodies,  or  any  other  particulars  in  addition 
to  those  we  have  just  mentioned.  We  made 
inquiry  of  the  guide  as  to  what  disposition  had 
been  made  of  the  remains.  He  replied  that  he 
had  no  personal  knowledge  of  the  matter,  as  the 
discovery  had  been  made  long  anterior  to  his 
Cave  experience,  but  he  had  been  informed  that 
the  bodies  had  been  sent  to  Louisville,  to  some 
museum  or  medical  college.  We  expressed 
our  surprise  that  such  extraordinary  curiosities 
should  have  been  removed  from  the  place 
where  found, — where  the  changes  of  Time  were 
unknown, — or  that  they  should  have  been 
carried  beyond  the  Cave  Hotel,  at  all  events. 
The  guide  did  not  attempt  any  explanation. 
There  are  two  niches  in  the  side-wall  of  solid 
rock,  one  about  large  enough  for  an  adult  to  sit 
in,  and  the  other  of  a  size  adapted  to  a  child. 
When  we  come  to  reflect  upon  the  subject,  we 
are  first  astonished  at  the  thought  that  a  woman 
and  young  child  should  venture  so  far,  without 
companions,  into  the  dark  cavern ;  and,  as  the 
entrance  to  the  Gothic  Arcade,  from  the  Main 
Avenue,  is  effected  bv  the  aid  of  a  ladder  fifteen 


172  THK    MAMMOTH    TAVE. 

toot  hiiili.  plaooil  thoiv  sinoi^  tho  ilisoovorv  of  tho 
Cavo  bv  wliito  inou.-  wo  iioxt  n\-\)iuKm'  how  it 
ooiild  liavo  boon  possiblo  lor  a  woman  ami  oliiUl 
to  havo  inailo  this  dillioult  asooiit  without  tho 
aiil  oi'  a  buUlor,  and.  if  possiblo,  what  objoot 
oonld  liavo  boon  in  viow  snlVioiontly  s^tron;:;  to 
havo  induootl  tlio  woman  with  \\ov  inlant  to 
havo  surnunuitod  snob  oxtraordinarv  obstaolos? 
And,  at'tor  ovoroomin^  all  tboso  ditlionltios,  is  it 
prosumablo  that  tho  woman  anil  ohild  j^hould 
havo  oontinuod  to  wandor  nntil  thov  llnuul  two 
niohos  in  tho  wall  oxactly  adaptod  to  thoir 
rospootivo  si/.os,  and  thov  porhaps  tho  oi\\\ 
niohos  suitod  to  tho  purposo  in  tho  Cavo? 

Wo  aiv  somowhat  surpris(Hl  that  Ih".  Wright, 
tho  latost  roooiini/.od  authority  in  oavoology, 
doos  not  outer  moro  into  dotail  rospooting  this 
important  subjoot.  partionlarly  as  sovoral  of  his 
prodooossors  in  oavo  history  havo  boon  nnu-h 
moro  minuto  in  thoir  aooounts  ol"  tho  disoovory 
and  tho  disposition  oi"  tho  niunnnios.  Not  doubt- 
ing Dr.  Wright's  ooilviotion  of  tho  truth  oi'  tho 
romarks  that  bo  has  mado  upon  tho  subjoot.  wi> 
ropoat  that  ho.  and  othors  oonoornod.  owo  it  as 
a  duty  to  thomsolvos  to  oxplain  io  tho  satisiao- 
tion  ol"  tho  publio  why  tho  said  bodios  woro  n>- 
niovod   from    tho   position    in   whioh    they  woro 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  173 

found  (which,  if*  remaining,  would  have  consti- 
tuted one  of  tlie  greatest  curiosities  of  the  Cave), 
how  they  were  disposed  of,  and  in  what  condition 
they  are  at  present. 

In  our  researches  relating  to  this  interesting 
subject,  we  believe  that  we  have  found  every- 
thing of  importance  that  has  yet  been  published; 
}ind  witli  the  design  of  laying  before  our  readers 
the  accounts  that  are  at  present  accessible  to  but 
few,  we  hereby  detail  all  that  is  known  to  us 
respecting  the  human  mummies,  and  the  bones 
of  the  lower  animals,  said  to  have  been  dis- 
covered in  the  Cave,  that  others  may  have  the 
same  data  that  we  have  upon  which  to  found 
their  conclusions. 

The  first  record  that  we  have  regarding  the 
mummies  is  to  be  found  in  a  book  entitled  "The 
Ifiuidred  Wonders  of  the  World,  and  of  the 
Three  Kingdoms  of  Nature,  described  according 
to  the  latest  and  best  authorities,  by  the  Rev. 
E.  C.  Clark,"  published  at  New  Haven,  1821, 
which  refers  to  the  Mammoth  Cave  as  one  of 
the  conspicuous  wonders,  under  the  title  of 
"  The  Grciat  Kentucky  Cavern." 

Many  of  what  are  now  regarded  as  the  chief 
wonders  ol"  the  Cave,  however,  were  totally 
unknown  at  that  date  (1821).     The  description 

15* 


174  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

is  taken  from  an  account  given  by  Dr.  Nahum 
Ward,  which  was  published  in  the  "Monthly 
Magazine,"  so  far  back  as  October,  1816.  This 
account  possesses  but  little  value  at  the  present 
day,  except  in  the  fact  that  it  contains  the 
earliest  published  notice,  so  far  as  we  know, 
of  the  discovery  of  human  remains  within  the 
Cave.  In  speaking  of  the  mummy,  Dr.  Ward 
says  (p.  109)  : 

"  It  was  removed  from  another  cave  for  pre- 
servation, and  was  presented  to  him  (Dr.  W.), 
together  with  the  apparel,  jewels,  music,  etc. 
with  which  it  was  accompanied.  It  has  since 
been  placed  in  the  Washington  Museum,  the 
proprietor  of  which  thinks  it  probable  that  this 
mummy  is  as  ancient  as  the  immense  mounds 
of  the  Western  country,  which  have  so  much 
astonished  the  world." 

No  information  is  given  us  as  to  the  location 
of  the  Washington  Museum.  This  account  does 
not  contain  anything  further  on  the  subject  than 
above  quoted,  which  is  much  to  be  regretted. 

Collins'  Kentucky,*  a  work  containing  much 

*  Historical  Sketches  of  Kentucky :  embracing  its  History, 
Antiquities,  and  Natural  Curiosities,  Geographical,  Statistical, 
and  Geological  Descriptions  ;  with  Anecdotes  of  Pioneer  Life,  and 
more  than  one  hundred  Biographical  Sketches  of  distinguished 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  175 

valuable  information  regarding  the  early  history 
of  the  State,  but  which  has  become  so  scarce  that 
we  were  unable  to  procure  a  copy  until  our 
manuscript  was  nearly  ready  for  the  press,  in 
treating  upon  Edmonson  County,  gives  a  very 
entertaining  account  of  the  Mammoth  Cave 
(pp.  254-61).  The  following  is  the  opening 
paragraph  : 

"  In  Edmonson  County  is  situated,  perhaps 
the  greatest  natural  wonder  in  the  world,  the 
celebrated  Mammoth  Cave.  In  no  other  place 
has  nature  exhibited  her  varied  powers  on  a 
more  imposing  scale  of  grandeur  and  magnifi- 
cence. The  materials  of  the  following  sketch 
of  this  Cave  are  derived,  principally,  from  a 
small  publication  issued  by  Morton  &  Griswold, 
of  Louisville,  entitled  ''  Rambles  in  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  during  the  year  1844,  by  a  Visitor.'  This 
publication  contains,  we  believe,  the  most  com- 
plete and  accurate  description  of  this  subterra- 
nean palace  that  has  yet  appeared,  and  gives 
the  reader  a  very  vivid  conception  of  that  amaz- 
ing profusion  of  grand,  solemn,  picturesque,  and 


Pioneers,  Soldiers,  Statesmen,  Jurists,  Lawyers,  Divines,  etc. 
Illustrated  by  forty  engravings.  By  Lewis  Collins.  Published 
by  Lewis  Collins,  Maysville,  Ky.;  and  J.  A.  &  U.  P.  James,  Cin- 
cinnati, 1847.     8vo,  pp.  560. 


176  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

romantic  scenery,  which  impresses  every  be- 
holder with  astonishment  and  awe',  and  attracts 
to  this  Cave  crowds  of  visitors  from  every  quarter 
of  the  world." 

After  speaking  of  the  surroundings  and  of  the 
entrance  of  the  Cave,  the  author,  referring,  we 
suppose,  to  what  is  now  known  as  the  Rotunda, 
says : 

"  The  entire  extent  of  this  prodigious  space 
is  covered  by  a  single  rock,  in  which  the  eye 
can  detect  no  break  or  interruption,  save  at  its 
borders,  which  are  surrounded  by  a  broad,  sweep- 
ing cornice,  traced  in  horizontal  panel  work,  ex- 
ceedingly noble  and  regular.  Not  a  single  pier 
or  pillar  of  any  kind  contributes  to  support  it. 
It  needs  no  support ;  but  is 

'  By  its  own  weight  made  steadfast  and  immovable.' 

"At  a  very  remote  period,"  continues  our  au- 
thor, "  this  chamber  seems  to  have  been  used  as 
a  cemetery ;  and  there  have  been  disinterred 
many  skeletons  of  gigantic  dimensions,  belong- 
ing to  a  race  of  people  long  since  vanished  from 
the  earth.  Such  is  the  vestibule  of  the  Mam- 
moth Cave,  The  walls  of  this  chamber  are  so 
dark  that  they  reflect  not  a  single  ray  of  light 
from  the  dim  torches." 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  177 

This  is  the  first  intimation  given  by  the  writer 
of  the  discovery  of  liuman  remains  in  the  Cave, 
and  is  all  that  he  says  upon  the  subject  in 
this  place.  After  proceeding,  however,  for  some 
time,  describing  the  various  objects  of  interest 
upon  entering  the  Gothic  Arcade,  he  recurs  to 
the  subject;  and,  in  consideration  of  the  fact 
that  we  had  expressed  doubts  regarding  the 
whole  question,  before  this  account  came  under 
our  notice,  we  here  quote  the  entire  remarks 
concerning  the  mummies,  that  our  readers  may 
decide  for  themselves  what  amount  of  credibility 
the  account  is  entitled  to : 

"  The  Gothic  Avenue,  to  which  the  visitor 
ascends  from  the  main  cave  by  a  flight  of  stairs, 
is  about  forty  feet  wide,  fifteen  feet  high,  and  two 
miles  long.  The  ceiling  in  many  places  is  as 
smooth  and  white  as  if  formed  by  the  trowel  of 
the  most  skillful  plasterer.  In  a  recess  on  the 
left  hand,  elevated  a  few  feet  above  the  floor, 
two  mummies,  long  since  taken  away,  were  to 
be  seen  in  1813.  They  were  in  good  preser- 
vation,— one  was  a  female,  with  her  extensive 
wardrobe  placed  before  her.  Two  of  the  miners 
found  a  mummy  in  Audubon  Avenue  in  1814; 
but,  having  concealed  it,  it  was  not  found  until 
1840,  when  it  was  so  much  injured  and  broken 


178  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

to  pieces  by  the  weights  which  had  been  placed 
upon  it  as  to  be  of  no  value.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  by  proper  efforts  discoveries  might  be  made 
which  would  throw  light  on  the  history  of  the 
early  iahabitauts  of  this  continent.  A  highly 
scientific  gentleman  of  New  York,  one  of  the 
early  visitors  to  the  Cave,  says  in  his  published 
narrative : 

"•^On  my  first  visit  to  the  Mammoth  Cave  in 
1813,  I  saw  a  relic  of  ancient  times,  which  re- 
quires a  minute  description.  This  description  is 
from  a  memorandum  made  in  the  Cave  at  the 
time. 

"'In  the  digging  of  saltpetre-earth  in  the  Short 
Cave  a  flat  rock  was  met  with  by  the  workmen, 
a  little  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  in  the 
Cave :  this  stone  was  raised,  and  was  about  four 
feet  wide,  and  as  many  long ;  beneath  it  was  a 
square  excavation  about  three  feet  deep,  and  as 
many  in  length  and  width.  In  this  small  nether 
subterranean  chamber  sat  in  solemn  silence  one 
of  the  human  species,  a  female,  with  her  wardrobe 
and  ornaments  placed  at  her  side.  The  body  was 
in  a  state  of  perfect  preservation,  and  sitting  erect. 
The  arms  were  folded  up,  and  the  hands  were 
laid  across  the  bosom ;  around  the  two  wrists  w^as 
wound  a  small  cord,  designed,  probably,  to  keep 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  179 

them  in  the   posture  in  which  they  were  first 
placed ;  around  the  body  and  next  thereto  were 
wrapped  two  deer-skins.     These  skins  appeared 
to  have  been  dressed  in  some  mode  different  from 
what  is  now  practiced  by  any  people  of  whom  I 
have  any   kncuvledge.     The    hair  of  the   skins 
was  cut  off  very  near  to  the  surface.     The  skins 
were  ornamented  with  the  imprints  of  vines  and 
leaves,  which   were  sketched  with  a  substance 
perfectly  white.     Outside  of  these  two  skins  was 
a  large  square  sheet,  which  was  either  wove  or 
knit.      The  fabric  was  the  inner  bark  of  a  tree, 
which  I  judge  from  appearances  to  be  that  of  the 
linn-tree.     In  its  texture  and  appearance  it  re- 
sembled the  South  Sea  Island  cloth  or  matting ; 
this  sheet  enveloped  the  whole  body  and  head. 
The    hair  on  the   head  was  cut  off  within  an 
eighth  of  an  inch  of  the  skin,  except  near  the 
neck,  where  it  was  an  inch  long.     The  color  of 
the  hair  was  a  dark-red ;   the  teeth  were  white 
and  perfect.     I  discovered  no  blemish  upon  the 
body,  except  a  wound  between   two  ribs,  near 
the  backbone;  and  one  of  the  eyes  had  also  been 
injured.     The  finger    and    toe    nails  were   per- 
fect and  quite  long.     The  features  were  regular. 
I  measured  the  length  of  one  of  the  bones  of  the 
arm  with  a  string,  from  the  elbow  to  the  wrist- 


180  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

joint,  and  they  equaled  my  own  in  length,  viz., 
ten  and  a  half  inches.  From  the  examination 
of  the  whole  frame  I  judged  the  figure  to  be  that 
of  a  very  tall  female,  say  five  feet  ten  inches  in 
height.  The  body,  at  the  time  it  was  discovered, 
weighed  but  fourteen  pounds,  and  was  perfectly 
dry;  on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  it  "gained 
in  weight,  by  absorbing  dampness,  four  pounds. 
Many  persons  have  expressed  surprise  that  a 
human  body  of  great  size  should  weigh  so  little, 
as  many  human  skeletons,  of  nothing  but  bone, 
exceed  this  weight. 

"'Recently  experiments  have  been  made  in 
Paris  which  have  demonstrated  the  fact  of  the 
human  body  being  reduced  to  ten  pounds  by 
being  exposed  to  a  heated  atmosphere  for  a  long 
period  of  time.  The  color  of  the  skin  was  dark, 
not  black;  the  flesh  was  hard  and  dry  upon  the 
bones.  At  the  side  of  the  body  lay  a  pair  of 
moccasins,  a  knapsack-,  and  an  indispensable,  or 
reticule.  I  will  describe  these  in  the  order  in 
which  I  have  named  them.  The  moccasins 
were  made  of  wove  or  knit  bark,  like  the  wrap- 
per I  have  described.  Around  the  top  was  a 
border  to  add  strength,  and  perhaps  as  an  orna- 
ment. These  were  of  middling  size,  denoting 
feet  of  a  small  size.     The  shape  of  the  mocca- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  181 

sins  differs  but  little  from  the  deer-skin  mocca- 
sins worn  by  the  northern  Indians.  The  knap- 
sack was  of  wove  or  knit  bark,  with  a  deep, 
strong  border  around  the  top,  and  was  about  the 
size  of  knapsacks  used  by  soldiers.  The  work- 
manship of  it  was  neat,  and  such  as  would  do 
credit,  as  a  fabric,  to  a  manufacturer  of  the 
present  day.  The  reticule  was  also  made  of 
wove  or  knit  bark.  The  shape  was  much  like  a 
horseman's  valise,  opening  its  whole  length  on 
the  top.  On  the  side  of  the  opening,  and  a  few 
inches  from  it,  were  two  rows  of  loops,  one  row 
on  each  side.  Two  cords  were  fastened  to  the 
reticule  at  the  top,  which  were  passed  through 
the  loop  on  one  side,  and  then  on  the  other  side, 
the  whole  length,  by  which  it  was  laced  up  and 
secured.  The  edges  of  the  top  of  the  reticule 
were  strengthened  with  deep,  fancy  borders. 
The  articles  contained  in  the  knapsack  and  reti- 
cule were  quite  numerous,  and  were  as  follows: 
one  head-cap,  made  of  wove  or  knit  bark,  with- 
out any  border,  and  of  the  shape  of  the  plainest 
night-cap ;  seven  head-dresses,  made  of  the  quills 
of  large  birds,  and  put  together  somewhat  in  the 
way  that  feather-fans  are  made,  except  that  the 
pipes  of  the  quills  are  not  drawn  to  a  point,  but 
are  spread  out  in   straight  lines  with  the   top. 

16 


182  THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

This  was  done  by  perforating  the  pipe  of  the 
quill  in  two  places,  and  runnipg  two  cords 
through  the  holes,  and  then  winding  around  the 
quills  and  the  cord  fine  thread  to  fasten  each 
quill  in  the  place  designed  for  it.  These  cords 
extended  some  length  beyond  the  quills  on  each 
side,  so  that  on  placing  the  feathers  erect  the 
cords  could  be  tied  together  at  the  back  of  the 
head.  This  would  enable  the  wearer  to  present 
a  beautiful  display  of  feathers  standing  erect, 
and  extending  a  distance  above  the  head  and 
entirely  surrounding  it.  These  were  most  splen- 
did head-dresses,  and  would  be  a  magnificent 
ornament  to  the  head  of  a  female  at  the  present 
day.  Several  hundred  strings  of  beads ;  these 
consisted  of  very  hard,  brown  seed,  smaller  than 
hemp-seed,  in  each  of  which  a  small  hole  had 
been  made,  and  through  the  whole  a  small  three- 
corded  thread,  similar  in  appearance  and  texture 
to  seine  twine;  these  were  tied  up  in  bunches, 
as  a  merchant  ties  up  coral-beads  when  he  ex- 
poses them  for  sale.  The  red  hoofs  of  fawns 
on  a  string  supposed  to  be  worn  around  the  neck 
as  a  necklace.  These  hoofs  were  about~twenty 
in  number,  and  may  have  been  emblematic  of 
innocence.  The  claw  of  an  eagle,  with  a  hole 
made  in  it,  through  which  a  cord  was  passed,  so 


i 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  18B 

that  it  could  be  worn  pendant  from  the  neck. 
The  jaw  of  a  bear,  designed  to  be  worn  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  eagle's  claw,  and  supplied 
with  a  cord  to  suspend  it  around  the  neck.  Two 
rattlesnake-skins  ;  one  of  these  had  fourteen  rat- 
tles ;  these  skins  were  neatly  folded  up.  Some 
vegetable  colors  done  up  in  leaves.  A  small 
bunch  of  deer  sinews,  resembling  catgut  in  ap- 
pearance. Several  bunches  of  thread  and  twine, 
two  and  three-threaded,  some  of  which  were 
nearly  white.  Seven  needles,  some  of  which 
were  of  horn  and  some  of  bone ;  they  were 
smooth,  and  appeared  to  have  been  much  used. 
These  needles  had  each  a  knob  or  whorl  on  the 
top,  and  at  the  other  end  were  brought  to  a 
point  like  a  large  sail-needle.  They  had  no 
eyelets  to  receive  a  thread.  The  top  of  one  of 
these  needles  was  handsomely  scolloped.  A 
hand-piece  made  of  deer-skin,  with  a  hole 
through  it  for  the  thumb,  and  designed  proba- 
bly to  protect  the  hand  in  the  use  of  the  needle, 
the  same  as  thimbles  are  now  used.  Two  whis- 
tles, about  eight  inches  long,  made  of  cane,  with 
a  joint  about  one-third  the  length ;  over  the 
joint  is  an  opening  extending  to  each  side  of  the 
tube  of  the  whistle ;  these,  openings  were  about 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  long  and  an  inch  wide, 


184  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

and  had  each  a  flat  reed  placed  in  the  opening. 
These  whistles  were  tied  together  with  a  cord 
wound  around  them. 

" '  I  have  been  thus  minute  in  describing  this 
mute  witness  from  the  days  of  other  times,  and 
the  articles  which  were  deposited  within  her 
earthly  house.  Of  the  race  of  people  to  whom 
she  belonged  when  living  we  know  nothing ;  and, 
as  to  conjecture,  the  reader  who  gathers  from 
these  pages  this  account  can  judge  of  the  matter 
as  well  as  those  who  saw  the  remnant  of  mor- 
tality in  the  subterranean  chambers  in  which 
she  was  entombed.  The  cause  of  the  preserva- 
tion of  her  body,  dress,  and  ornaments  is  no 
mystery.  The  dry  atmosphere  of  the  Cave,  with 
the  nitrate  of  lime  with  which  the  earth  that 
covers  the  bottom  of  these  nether  palaces  is  so 
highly  impregnated,  preserves  animal  flesh,  and 
it  will  neither  putrefy  nor  decompose  when  con- 
fined to  its  unchanging  action.  Heat  and  moist- 
ure are  both  absent  frorai  the  Cave,  and  it  is 
these  two  agents  acting  together  which  produce 
both  animal  and  vegetable  decomposition  and 
putrefaction. 

"'In  the  ornaments,  etc.  of  this  mute  witness 
of  ages  gone  we  have  a  record  of  olden  time, 
from  which,  in  the  absence  of  a  written  record, 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  185 

we  may  draw  some  conclusions.  In  the  various 
articles  which  constituted  her  ornaments  there 
were  no  metallic  substances ;  in  the  make  of 
her  dress  there  is  no  evidence  of  the  use  of  any 
other  machinery  than  the  bone  and  horn  needles. 
The  beads  are  of  a  substance  of  the  use  of  which 
for  such  purposes  we  have  no  account  among 
people  of  whom  we  have  any  written  record. 
She  had  no  warlike  arms.  By  what  process  the 
hair  of  the  head  was  cut  short,  or  by  what  j)ro- 
cess  the  deer-skins  were  shorn,  we  have  no  means 
of  conjecture.  These  articles  afford  us  the  same 
means  of  judging  of  the  nation  to  which  she  be- 
longed, and  of  their  advances  in  the  arts,  that 
future  generations  will  have  in  the  exhumation 
of  a  tenant  of  one  of  our  modern  tombs,  with 
the  funeral  shroud,  etc.  in  a  state  of  like  pres- 
ervation, with  this  difference,  that  with  the 
present  inhabitants  of  this  section  of  the  globe 
but  few  articles  of  ornament  are  deposited  with 
the  body.  The  features  of  this  ancient  member 
of  the  human  family  much  resembled  those  of  a 
tall,  handsome,  American  woman.  The  fore- 
head was  high,  and  the  head  well  formed.'" 

This  constitutes  what  appears  to  be,  in  the 
estimation  of  the  historian  of  Kentucky,  the 
most  valuable  part  of  the  history  of  the  Mam- 

IG* 


186  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

moth  Cave.  The  name  of  the  writer  is  not 
given.  It  is  simply  stated  that  the  account  of 
this  mummy  was  published  "  by  a  highly  scien- 
tific gentleman  of  New  York,  one  of  the  early 
visitors  of  the  Cave." 

In  examining  Collins'  account  of  the  Cave,  from 
whom  we  had  a  right  to  expect  a  very  full  his- 
tory,— for  he  speaks  of  it  as  being  "perhaps  the 
greatest  natural  curiosity  of  the  world," — we  were 
much  disappointed  to  find  that  all  reference  to 
its  early  history  was  omitted.    He  does  not  state 
the  year  of  the  discovery,  by  whom  it  was  dis- 
covered, or  what  led  to  its  discovery.     In  this 
respect  the  letter  we  give  from  Mr,  Gorin  con- 
tains information  that,  to  our  knowledge,  has 
not  hitherto  been  published.     Mr.  C.  dwells  at 
great  length  on  what  we  regard  as  minor  points 
of  interest,  while    Echo   River   and  the    great 
curiosities  beyond  are  scarcely  mentioned,  and 
no  attempt  made  at  description,  the  whole  being 
summarily  dismissed  with  _  the  remark  that  "  a 
detailed  description  of  these  wonders  would  not 
consist  with  the  plan  of  this  work."     And  this 
statement  is  made  after  the  minute  description 
of  the  mummies  and  their  ornaments. 

The  work  before  mentioned,   entitled  "  The 
Universe;  or.  The  Infinitely  Great  and  the  In- 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  187 

finitely  Small,"  by  F.  A.  Poucher,  M.D.,  Corre- 
sponding Member  of  the  Institute  of  France, 
etc.,  translated  from  the  French,  illustrated, 
and  published  by  Charles  Scribner  &  Co.,  New 
York,  1870,  has  recently  fallen  under  our  notice 
CMarch,  1870).  The,  character  of  the  work  is 
not  very  definitely  implied  in  the  title;  it  is  de- 
signed as  a  popular  natural  history,  and  treats 
of  botany,  zoology,  ornithology,  geology,  etc. 
Under  the  latter  head  five  or  six  pages  are  de- 
voted to  an  account  of  the  Mammoth  Cave.  Of 
the  nature  of  the  curiosity  the  author  remarks : 

"The  Mammoth  Cave  of  the  United  States 
owes  its  renown  not  to  the  celebrity  of  those  who 
have  visited  it,  but  to  its  extent,  which  is  per- 
haps greater  than  that  of  any  other  existing  Cave." 

Again  he  says  : 

"The  Mammoth  Cave  is  always  an  object  of 
great  interest  to  the  Americans.  They  go  there 
in  crowds,  and  there  is  not  always  accommoda- 
tion in  the  great  hotel  intended  to  receive  the 
tourists,  although  it  is  arranged  for  three  hun- 
dred guests.* 

*  In  the  above  paragraph  the  author  commits  two  errors : 
Americans  do  not  go  in  crowds,  as  they  should ;  and  the  enter- 
prising and  gentlemanly  proprietor  of  the  hotel,  Mr.  L.  J.  Proc- 
tor, has  so  far  always  been  able  to  accommodate  satisfactorily  all 
the  crowds  that  have  presented  themselves. 


188  THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

"  The  exploration  requires  five  or  six  days, 
and  an  army  of  guides  is  always  J5:ept  for  the 
service  of  travelers." 

Farther  on  the  author  states  that,  "  Up  to  the 
present  time  226  avenues  have  been  made  out, 
besides  57  domes,  11  lakes,  7  rivers,  8  cataracts, 
and  32  abysses,  some  of  which  are  of  immense 
depth."  Those  readers  who  have  followed  us 
closely  will  recognize  that  the  above  estimate  is 
considerably  magnified,  on  the  principle,  we  pre- 
sume, that  "distance  lends  enchantment  to  the 
view;"  for  it  does  not  appear  in  the  record  that 
the  writer  had  ever  made  a  personal  inspection 
of  the  things  whereof  he  speaks. 

Dr.  Poucher  speaks  of  the  human  mummies 
and  human  skeletons  found  in  the  Cave;  also, 
of  the  discovery  therein  of  the  bones  of  the  bear, 
hyena,  and  mastodon.  We  are  not  aware  that 
he  obtained  this  information  from  any  American 
authority.  Indeed,  he  does  not  cite  authorities 
for  any  of  his  assertions  regarding  the  Cave. 
Dr.  P.  mentions  the  blind  fishes  of  the  Cave,  and 
gives  a  tolerably  accurate  diagram  of  them.  He 
does  not  refer  to  the  recognized  name  given  them 
by  Professor  Agassiz  [Amhiyopsis  spelseus),  but 
calls  them  Cyprinodonts.  He  adds  that  they 
appear  to  be  devoid  of  eyes.     This  question,  as 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  189 

our  readers  will  have  already  learned,  has  long 
since  been  settled  in  this  country.  Dr.  P.  also 
alludes  to  the  fact  that  the  Cave  has  been  (and 
he  appears  to  think  still  is)  used  as  a  sanitarium, 
— speaking  of  it  as  "the  sulphurous  atmosphere  in 
which  medical  men  kept  their  patients  afflicted 
with  chest  affections."  Of  all  affections  those  of 
the  chest  would  be  the  most  aggravated  by  a 
sulphurous  atmosphere;  and  we  are  surprised 
that  Dr.  P.,  a  medical  man,  should  make  such  a 
statement  without  interposing  an  interjection  of 
astonishment,  and  without  giving  his  authority 
for  it.  There  is  no  sulphurous  atmosphere  in 
any  part  of  the  Cave,  though  one  or  two  sul- 
phur springs  are  found. 

In  connection  with  Dr.  Poucher's  remarks 
upon  the  Mammoth  Cave  there  is  an  illustration 
of  a  view  of  the  Dead  Sea,  which  is  drawn  en- 
tirely from  fancy.  There  is  also  another  very 
conspicuous  illustration  of  the  River  Styx.  In 
the  scene  a  boat  is  represented,  propelled  by  a 
negro  standing  in  the  prow,  with  a  single  oar  or 
paddle,  who  is  shown  to  be  hatless  and  naked 
to  the  loins,*  and  appears  to  be  making  frantic 


*  The  negro  cannot  endure  as  much  cold  as  the  white  man, 
and  it  can  scarcely  be  presumed  that  he  would  enjoy  any  amount 
of  comfort  in  this  condition  at  the  temperature  of  59°. 


190  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

efforts  to  advance,  as  though  hoping  thereby  to 
escape  from  some  desperate  pursiier.  In  the 
stern  sits  a  white  man  holding  in  his  hand,  in 
front  and  above  his  head,  a  flaming  torch,  strain- 
ing his  eyes  as  if  in  expectation  of  discovering 
in  the  impenetrable  darkness  before  him  the 
forbidding  gnomes  of  this  nether  world.  This 
picture  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  reality. 
Instead  of  the  wild  excitement  manifested  in 
the  countenances  of  the  boatman  and  voyager, 
this  passage  is  one  of  the  calmest,  most  placid, 
and  dreamy  that  can  be  imagined ;  it  is  a  quiet, 
though  grand,  embarkation  "  over  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  summer  sea,"  where  no  fear  is 
ever  felt  regarding  the  intrusion  of  evil  spirits. 

Dr.  Poucher's  notice  of  the  Mammoth  Cave, 
we  are  compelled  to  say,  is  full  of  errors :  there 
is  scarcely  a  paragraph  that  can  be  accepted  as 
literally  true. 

The  discovery  of  so  many  errors  upon  this 
subject  (the  Cave)  in  such  a  pretentious  and 
expensive  work  as  that  of  Dr.  Poucher's  Universe, 
at  this  late  date  (1870),  the  more  clearly  con- 
vinces us  of  the  necessity  for  the  publication  of 
an  historical  narrative  of  the  Cave  which,  while 
entering  more  fully  into  detail  than  any  previous 
work  on  the  subject,  can  be  relied  upon  as  accu- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  191 

rate  in  its  statements,  so  far  as  their  nature  is 
susceptible  of  positive  demonstration. 

The  most  recent,  and  best  authenticated  in- 
formation we  have  been  able  to  find  upon  the 
subject  of  the  Cave  Mummies,  is  contained  in  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Proctor,  the  present  proprietor 
of  the  hotel,  dated  March  12,  1870.  He  says 
(in  reply  to  our  inquiries) : 

"  There  was  a  mummy  found  in  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  and  one  in  Short  Cave,  a  cave  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Mammoth.  The  one  in 
Mammoth  Cave  was  found  in  the  Gothic 
Avenue,  in  1815,  by  Mr.  Ward,  of  Marietta, 
Ohio,  and  was  sent  to  the  Antiquarian  Society 
of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and  is  now  there, 
as  I  learn  by  a  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Society ;  but  is  in  a  dilapidated  condition.  The 
one  found  in  the  Short  Cave  was  taken  and 
placed  in  the  Museum  at  Cincinnati,  and  was 
burnt  with  that  establishment  many  years  ago. 
I  have  in  my  possession  a  photograph  of  the  one 
taken  out  of  the  Gothic  Avenue  by  Mr.  Ward, 
in  1815." 

In  concluding  our  remarks  on  this  subject,  we 
emphatically  agree  with  the  author  of  ''Rambles 
of  a  Visitor,"  etc.  when  he  says,  "The  removal 
of  those  mummies  from  the  place  in  which  they 


192  THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

were  found  can  be  viewed  as  little  less  than 
sacrilege.  There  they  had  been,  perhaps,  for 
centuries,  and  there  they  ought  to  have  been 
left."  The  author  adds,  "  What  has  become  of 
them  I  know  not.  One  of  them,  it  is  said,  was 
lost  in  the  burning  of  the  Cincinnati  Museum. 
The  wardrobe  of  the  female  was  given  to  a  Mr. 
Ward,  of  Massachusetts,  who,  I  believe,  pre- 
sented it  to  the  British  Museum." 

Note. — An  article  of  some  length,  entitled  "Underground 
Territories  of  the  United  States,"  appeared  in  "The  Interna- 
tional Magazine  of  Literature  and  Science,''  published  by  Stringer 
&  Townsend,  New  York,  in  1852  (vol.  v.).     The  writer  remarks: 

"  In  Virginia,  New  York,  and  other  States,  the  caves  of  Weyer, 
Schoharie,  and  many  that  are  less  famous,  but  not  inferior  in 
beauty  or  grandeur,  are  well  known  to  travelers  ;  but  the  Mam- 
moth Cave  under  Kentucky  is  world-renowned ;  and  such  felon 
States  as  Naples  might  hide  in  it  from  the  scorn  of  mankind." 

It  is  stated  that  the  paper  was  prepared  "  chiefly  from  a  letter 
by  Mrs.  Child,  a  very  full  description  of  this  eighth  wonder  of  the 
world — illustrated   by  engravings   from   recent   drawings   made, . 
under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  Horace  Martin,  who  proposes 
soon  to  furnish  for  tourists  an  ample  volume  on  the  subject." 

The  writer  speaks  of  the  mummies  found  in  the  Cave,  and  adds, 
"  I  believe  that  one  of  these  mummies  is  now  in  the  British 
Museum." 

Nearly  all  the  materials  of  which  this  article  was  composed, 
including  the  illustrations,  were  subsequently  incorporated  in 
Mr.  Martin's  book,  from  which  we  have  repeatedly  quoted.  The 
original,  however,  did  not  come  under  our  notice  until  quite 
recently. 

We  will  also  state  that,  since  our  text  has  been  in  type,  we 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  193 

have  obtained  a  copy  of  "  The  Mouthly  Mao'azine ;  or,  British 
Register;  reprinted,  with  American  Intelligence,  in  Boston, 
U.  S."  In  the  number  for  April,  1816,  under  the  head  of  Ameri- 
can Intelligence,  is  given  a  "  Description  of  the  Great  Cave  in 
Warren  [now  Edmonson]  County,  Kentucky. — Extract  of  a 
letter  from  Dr.  Nahum  Ward,  formerly  of  Shrewsbury,  Massa- 
chusetts, now  resident  in  the  Western  country,  to  his  friend  in 
Worcester,  giving  an  account  of  an  excursion  in  Kentucky  in  the 
fall  of  last  year;  dated  Marietta,  April  4,  1816." 

This  account  appears  to  be  copied  from  a  newspaper  called  the 
"Worcester  Spy;"  and  this  is  the  original  publication, of  the 
history  of  the  mummy  which  we  have  extracted  from  "  Collins' 
Kentucky."  "The  Monthly  Magazine,"  however,  did  not  copy 
the  details  relative  to  the  mummy  (dress,  ornaments,  etc.)  which 
we  have  seen  was  so  fully  copied  by  Mr.  Collins.  We  find 
nothing  in  this  article  the  quotation  of  which  would  afford  addi- 
tional interest  to  our  readers.  In  a  subsequent  number  of  the 
same  magazine,  July,  1816,  Dr.  Ward  furnished  a  map  of  the 
Cave,  together  with  an  engraving  of  the  mummy  which  was 
therein  found,  and  with  which  he  had  been  presented. 

The  map,  of  course,  is  chiefly  drawn  from  imagination  :  at  that 
early  date  no  surveys  had  been  attempted.  Nearly  all  the  names 
by  which  the  various  parts  of  the  Cave  were  then  described  have, 
since  that  date,  been  changed. 

As  might  naturally  be  expected  in  describing  a  curiosity  so 
extraordinary  in  its  dimensions  and  characteristics,  and  of  which 
so  little  was  known  at  that  day,  we  find  considerable  exaggera- 
tion and  some  misstatements  in  the  account  of  Dr.  Ward.  He 
speaks  of  various  chambe. .  jich  constitute  an  area  of  from  six 
to  eight  acres,  and  estimates  that  he  explored  a  continuous  avenue 
to  the  distance  of  eleven  miles.  The  "Bottomless  Pit"  was  not 
crossed  for  more  than  twenty  years  afterward  ;  and  the  extreme 
length  of  the  "  Long  Route,"  now  known,  does  not  exceed  nine 
miles.  The  writer  also  speaks  of  Green  River  as  passing  over 
several  of  the  avenues  of  the  Cave,  the  incorrectness  of  which 
statement  has  long  since  been  eistablished. 

U 


194  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

The  drawing  of  the  mmnmy,  which  accompanies  Dr.  Ward's 
map,  represents  much  more  faithfully  the  features  and  form  of  the 
male  than  the  female.  It  is  in  the  sitting  posit-iou,  with  the  arms 
folded  across  the  breast, — the  position  which  it  is  represented  to 
have  occupied  when  discovered. 

The  map,  the  drawing  of  the  mummy,  and  the  account  of  the 
Cave,  as  furnished  by  Dr.  Ward  and  Mrs.  Child,  are  interesting 
to  the  student  of  the  Cave  history,  but,  at  the  present  day,  are 
really  of  no  practical  value ;  and  we  simply  note  the  articles  in 
these  magazines  to  indicate  to  our  readers  the  character  of  the 
field  over  which  we  have  traveled  in  pursuing  our  design  of  mak- 
ing our  work  as  complete  as  possible. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

INSTANCES  OP  PERSONS  BECOMING  LOST  IN  THE  CAVE. — THE 
PROPER  COURSE  TO  PURSUE  IN  SUCH  CASES. 

It  is  said  that  a  person  lost  in  the  Cave,  with- 
out any  hope  of  escape,  would  undoubtedly  die 
in  a  very  short  time.  That  this  is  the  case  the 
history  of  those  who  have  been  lost  in  it  would 
seem  to  prove. 

Thus,  on  one  occasion,  says  Dr.  Wright,  a  gen- 
tleman wandered  from  his  party,  when  by  some 
accident  his  lamp  was  extinguished.  In  endeav- 
oring to  make  his  escape  he  became  alarmed, 
and  finally  insane,  and  crawling  behind  a  large 
rock,  remained  in  that  position  for  forty-eight 
hours ;  and  although  the  guides  repeatedly  passed 
the  rock  behind  which  he  was  secreted,  in  search 
for  him,  he  did  not  make  the  slightest  noise;  and 
when  finally  discovered,  endeavored  to  make  his 
escape  from  them,  but  was  too  much  exhausted 
to  do  so. 

In  another  instance,  we  are  told,  a  lady 
allowed  her  party  to  get  so  far  in  advance  that 

(195) 


196  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

their  voices  could  no  longer  be  heard,  and  in 
attempting  to  overtake  them,  fell  and  extin- 
guished her  lamp,  when  she  became  so  terrified 
at  her  situation  that  she  swooned ;  and  when 
discovered  a  few  minutes  afterward,  and  restored, 
she  was  found  to  be  in  a  state  of  insanity,  from 
which  she  did  not  recover  for  a  number  of  years. 

The    author   of  "  Rambles,"  etc.    quotes   the 
following  case  from  the  author  of  "Calavar:" 

"In  the  Lower  Branch  is  a  room  called  the 
Salts  Room,  which  produces  considerable  quan- 
tities of  the  sulphate  of  magnesia,  or  of  soda,  we 
forget  which, — a  mineral  that  the  proprietor  of 
the  Cave  did  not  fail  to  turn  to  account.  The 
miner  in  question  was  a  new,  raw  hand, — of 
course  neither  very  well  acquainted  with  the 
Cave  itself,  nor  with  the  approved  modes  of 
averting  or  repairing  accidents,  to  which,  from 
the  nature  of  their  occupation,  the  miners  were 
greatly  exposed.  Having  been  sent,  one  day,  in 
charge  of  an  older  workman,  to  the  Salts  Room 
to  dig  a  few  sacks  of  the  salt,  and  finding  that 
the  path  to  this  sequestered  nook  was  perfectly 
plain;  and  that,  from  the  Haunted  Chambers 
being  a  single  continuous  passage  without 
branches,  it  was  impossible  to  wander  from  it, 
our  hero  disdained,  on  his  second  visit,  to  seek  or 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  197 

accept  assistance,  and  trudged  off  to  his  work 
alone.  The  circumstance  being  common  enough, 
he  was  speedily  forgotten  by  his  brother  miners ; 
and  it  was  not  until  several  hours  after,  when 
they  had  left  ofi'  their  toil  for  the  more  agreea- 
ble duty  of  eating  their  dinner,  that  his  absence 
was  remarked,  and  his  heroical  resolution  to 
make  his  way  alone  to  the  Salts  Room  remem- 
bered. As  it  was  apparent,  from  the  time  he 
had  been  gone,  that  some  accident  must  have 
happened  to  him,  half  a  dozen  men,  most  of 
them  negroes,  stripped  half  naked,  their  usual 
working  costume,  were  sent  to  hunt  him  up;  a 
task  supposed  to  be  of  no  great  difficulty,  unless 
he  had  fallen  into  a  pit.  In  the  mean  while  the 
poor  miner,  it  seems,  had  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  Salts  Room,  filling  his  sack,  and  retracing 
his  steps  half  way  back  to  the  Grand  Gallery ; 
when,  finding  the  distance  greater  than  he 
thought  it  ought  to  be,  the  conceit  entered  his 
unlucky  brain  that  he  might,  perhaps,  be  going 
wrong.  No  sooner  had  the  suspicion  struck 
him  than  he  fell  into  a  violent  terror,  dropped 
his  sack,  ran  backward,  then  returned,  then  ran 
back  again, — each  time  more  frightened  and  be- 
wildered than  before;  until,  at  last,  he  ended  his 
adventure  by  tumbling  over  a  stone  and  extin- 

17* 


198  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

guishing  his  lamp.  Thus  left  in  the  dark,  not 
knowing  where  to  turn,  frightened  out  of  his 
wits  besides,  he  fell  to  remembering  his  sins — 
always  remembered  by  those  who  are  lost  in  the 
Cave — and  praying  with  all  his  might  for  succor. 
But  hours  passed  away,  and  assistance  came  not; 
the  poor  fellow's  frenzy  increased ;  he  felt  himself 
a  doomed  man ;  he  thought  his  terrible  situation 
was  a  judgment  imposed  on  him  for  his  wicked- 
ness ;  nay,  he  even  believed,  at  last,  that  he  was 
no  longer  an  inhabitant  of  the  earth, — that  he 
had  been  translated,  even  in  the  body,  to  the 
place  of  torment ; — in  other  words,  that  he  was 
in  hell  itself,  the  prey  of  the  devils,  who  would 
presently  be  let  loose  upon  him.  It  was  at  this 
moment  that  the  miners  in  search  of  him  made 
their  appearance.  They  lighted  upon  his  sack, 
lying  where  he  had  thrown  it,  and  set  up  a  great 
shout,  which  was  the  first  intimation  he  had  of 
their  approach.  He  started  up,  and  seeing  them 
in  the  distance,  the  half-naked  negroes  in  ad- 
vance, all  swinging  their  torches  aloft,  he,  not 
doubting  that  they  were  those  identical  devils 
whose  appearance  he  had  been  expecting,  took 
to  his  heels,  yelling  for  mercy ;  nor  did  he  stop, 
notwithstanding  the  calls  of  his  amazed  friends, 
until  he  had  fallen  a  second  time  over  the  rocks, 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  199 

where  he  lay  on  his  face,  roaring  for  pity,  until, 
by  dint  of  much  pulling  and  shaking,  he  was 
convinced  that  he  was  still  in  the  world  and  the 
Mammoth  Cave." 

Such  is  the  story  of  the  Haunted  Chambers, 
the  name  having  been  given  to  commemorate 
this  incident. 

Not  a  year  passes,  we  are  informed,  but  the 
guides  have  to  go  in  search  of  persons  who  have 
been  foolhardy  enough  to  leave  their  party,  and 
who,  in  every  instance,  become  speedily  bewil- 
dered, and  when  discovered  are  in  the  act  of 
crying  or  at  prayer.  In  such  cases  the  guides 
are  overpowered  with  kisses,  embraces,  and  other 
demonstrations  of  gratitude. 

The  proper  course  for  persons  to  pursue  when 
lost  in  the  Cave  is  for  them  to  remain  in  the 
place  where  they  first  became  confused,  and 
not  to  stir  from  it  until  rescued  by  the  guides. 
They  will  not  have  to  wait  more  than  from 
three  to  ten  hours  from  the  time  at  which  they 
should  have  returned  to  the  hotel. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

GOTHIC    ARCADE. 

The  Register  Room. — Gothic  Chapel. — Romantic  Marriage. — 
How  the  Stalactites  and  Stalagmites  are  formed. — Bona- 
parte's Breastworks. — The  Devil's  Arm-chair. — Elephant's 
Head. — Lover's  Leap. — Gatewood's  Dining-table. — Napoleon's 
Dome. — Lake  Purity. — Return  to  Daylight. 

The  Gothic  Arcade  is  entered  by  ascending 
a  flight  of  steps,  as  before  mentioned ;  and, 
after  passing  the  seat  of  the  Mummy  a  short 
distance,  there  is  to  be  found  a  large  stalactite, 
which  extends  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling, 
termed  the  Post  Oak,  from  its  fancied  resem- 
blance to  a  variety  of  oak-tree  that  grows  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Cave. 

The  First  Echo  is  the  name  given  to  that 
part  of  Gothic  Arcade  which  passes  over  Pen- 
sacola  Avenue,  the  floor  of  which,  when 
forcibly  struck,  emits  a  hollow  sound.  This 
hollow  sound  is  observed  even  in  walking, — 
conveying  the  impression  that  some  danger 
of  falling  through  might  result  from  too  heavy 
a  tread. 

(200) 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  201 

For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  this 
avenue  has  a  ceiling  perfectly  flat,  with  every 
appearance  of  having  received  a  coat  of  plaster. 
It  is  smoked  over  in  all  parts  with  the  names  of 
vulgar  visitors,  from  which  circumstance  one 
locality  is  called  the  Register  Room.  Persons 
formerly  carried  candles  in  their  trips  through 
the  Cave,  and,  by  tying  them  to  poles,  suc- 
ceeded in  not  only  smoking  their  names  upon 
the  ceiling,  from  eight  to  sixteen  feet  overhead, 
but  in  many  instances  their  portraits, — for  there 
were  frequently  rude  attempts  at  drawing  the 
figures  of  sheep  and  pigs,  as  we  are  told  by 
Bayard  Taylor,  and  as  every  visitor  may  see 
for  himself  The  lamps  now  in  use  are  much 
more  convenient  for  carrying,  and  have  the 
additional  advantage  of  guarding  against  all 
such  desecration. 

The  Register  Room,  to  use  the  words  of  Dr. 
Wright,  is  about  three  hundred  feet  long,  forty 
wide,  and  from  eight  to  sixteen  in  height.  The 
ceiling  is  white,  and  as  smooth  as  though  it  had 
been  plastered.  In  this  room  hundreds  of  per- 
sons have  displayed  their  bankruptcy  in  every- 
thing pertaining  to  good  breeding  and  taste  by 
tracing  their  obscure  names  on  the  ceiling  with 
the  smoke  of  a  candle. 


202  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

After  passing  the  Register  Room,  the  ceiling 
gradually  becomes  broken  and  rugged,  studded 
here  and  there  with  unfinished  stalactites. 

The  next  point  of  interest  reached  is  the 
Gothic  Chapel.  This  is  a  large  room,  the 
ceiling  of  which  appears  to  be  supported  by 
gigantic  stalactites,  which  extend -to  the  floor. 
These  stony  icicles  become  large  enough  to  form 
ribbed  pillars  and  fair  Gothic  arches.  When  a 
number  of  lamps  are  hung  upon  these  columns, 
this  room  presents  a  beautiful  appearance. 

We  are  informed  that  a  romantic  marriage 
once  took  place  in  this  chapel,  which  family  in- 
terference prevented  occurring  on  the  earth.  It 
is  said  that  the  fair  lady,  whose  lover  was  op- 
posed by  her  parents,  in  a  rash  moment  prom- 
ised them  that  she  would  never  marry  her  be- 
trothed on  tlie  face  of  the  earth.  Afterward, 
repenting  her  promise,  but  being  unable  to  re- 
tract, and  unwilling  to  violate  it,  she  fulfilled  her 
vow  to  her  parents,  as  well  as  to  her  lover,  by 
marrying  him  under  the  earth.  This  is  but  an- 
other illustration  of  the  proverbially  ingenious 
management  of  woman. 

Two  of  the  stalactites  in  this  chapel  are  called 
the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  which  are  said  to  be 
thirty  feet  in  circumference;   and  we  are  told 


THE    ALTAK. 


THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE.  203 

that,  in  the  formation  of  a  stalactite,  a  period 
of  fifty  years  is  required  to  produce  an  incrusta- 
tion of  the  thickness  of  a  wafer.  We  have  not 
attempted  to  calculate  the  time  necessary,  at 
this  rate,  to  form  a  stalactite  of  the  size  named. 
Geologists,  in  estimating  the  antiquity  of  the 
origin  of  the  earth,  might  find  important  data 
here  that,  to  our  knowledge,  has  not  been  here- 
tofore used.  But  it  would  be  impossible  to  ap- 
proximate accuracy  in  such  calculations,  from 
the  fact  that  it  may  have  been,  for  all  we  know, 
twentj^  thousand  years  since  the  cessation  of  the 
process  of  formation,  for  this  appears  to  be  one 
of  the  oldest  avenues  in  the  Cave. 

To  the  ceiling  of  the  Chapel  are  attached 
great  numbers  of  small  stalactites,  from  six  to 
eighteen  inches  in  length,  giving  a  very  singular 
and  handsome  view  overhead. 

The  Gothic  Chapel  has  been  very  accurately 
and  strikingly  photographed  by  the  parties  be- 
fore mentioned. 

Speaking  of  the  immense  stalactites  found  in 
Gothic  Chapel,  reminds  us  that  we  have  not  ex- 
plained the  meaning  of  the  terras  "stalactite" 
and  "  stalagmite,"  which  formations  being  pecu- 
liar to  caves,  it  is  presumed  that  the  majority  of 
*  readers  are  not  familiar  with  the  process  of  their 


204  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

formation.  We  will  explain  the  process  in  the 
language  of  Dr.  Wright,  which  we  do  not  think 
can  be  improved  upon  either  in  point  of  fact  or 
brevity : 

"When  water,  holding  the  bicarbonate  of 
lime  in  solution,  drops  slowly  from  the  ceiling, 
by  which  it  is  exposed  to  the  air  sufficiently 
long  to  allow  the  escape  of  one  equivalent  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas,  the  lime  is  deposited  in  the  form 
of  the  proto-carbonate  of  lime.  If  the  deposit 
occurs  in  such  a  manner  that  the  accumulation 
takes  place  from  above  downward,  in  the  form 
of  an  icicle,  it  constitutes  what  is  termed  a  sfa- 
lactite;  but  if  it  accumulates  from  below  up- 
ward, it  is  called  a  stalagmite.  Stalactites  and 
stalagmites  frequently  meet  in  the  center  and 
become  cemented,  by  which  a  column  of  support 
is  formed." 

If  the  limestone  which  forms  the  stalactite  is 
perfectly  pure,  it  will  be  white,  or  semi-transpa- 
rent; if  it  contains  oxide  of  iron,  it  will  be  of  a 
red  or  yellowish  color.  The  black  stalactites 
contain  a  large  proportion  of  the  black  oxide  of 
iron. 

Leaving  Gothic  Chapel,  and  pursuing  our 
course,  we  are  next  introduced  to  Vulcan's 
Smithy,  a  room   the   floor  of  which  is  strewn* 


it 


DEVIL'S  ARM    CHAIR. 


THE    MAMMOTH   CAVE.  205 

with  stalagmitic  nodules,  colored  with  the  black 
oxide  of  iron,  which  resemble  the  cinders  of  a 
blacksmith's  shop. 

Bonaparte's  Breastworks,  immediately  be- 
yond, consist  of  a  ledge  of  rocks  that  have 
been  detached  from  the  side  of  the  avenue 
against  which  they  rest. 

The  Arm- Chair,  called  by  the  guides  the 
Devil's  Arm-Chair,  is  the  next  object  of  interest. 
It  is  formed  by  the  union  of  stalagmites  and 
stalactites.  It  is  told  that  the  celebrated  Jenny 
Lind  rested  in  this  Chair  for  some  time  during 
her  visit  to  the  Cave.  Unless  we  make  the 
statement  ourself,  we  fear  it  will  not  be  handed 
down  to  posterity,  that  we  also  rested  for  a  few 
moments  in  the  same  regal  Chair !  The  Chair  is 
rather  high  for  convenience ;  but  still  it  accom- 
modates an  individual  very  comfortably. 

The  Elephant's  Head  is  a  large  stalagmite, 
projecting  from  the  left  wall  of  the  avenue, 
which  is  supposed  to  bear  a  striking  resemblance 
to  the  head  of  the  animal  for  which  it  is  named. 

A  rock  projecting  sixteen  feet  over  a  pit 
which  is  seventy  feet  in  depth,  is  fancifully 
denominated  the  Lover's  Leap.  It  is  not  re- 
corded, however,  that  any  lover  ever  regarded 
his   case   so   extremely   desperate    as    to    have 

18 


206  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

induced  him  to  take  this  fearful  "leap  iu  the 
dark." 

After  passing  down  a  very  precipitous  bank, 
some  thirty  or  forty  feet  on  the  left  side  of 
Lover's  LeajD,  we  enter  a  narrow  avenue,  very 
properly  termed  the  Elbow  Crevice.  This 
avenue,  though  not  more  than  from  three  to 
five  feet  wide,  is  fifty  feet  high,  and  twenty 
feet  in  length.  It  is  another  Fat  Man's  Misery, 
on  an  enlarged  scale. 

Gatewood's  Dining-Table  is  a  flat  rock  which 
has  been  detached  from  the  ceiling.  It  is  about 
twelve  feet  long  and  eight  wide,  and  is  named 
after  one  of  the  former  proprietors. 

Next  we  reach  Napoleon's  Dome,  which  is 
fifty  feet  high,  and  from  twenty  to  thirty  wide. 
It  was  formed  in  the  same  manner  as,  and  very 
much  resembles,  Corinna's  Dome,  in  the  Pass  of 
El  Ghor. 

A  pool  of  perfectly  transparent  water,  called 
Lake  Purity,  is  situated  directly  under  Vulcan's 
Smithy ;  large  amounts  of  the  cinder-like  for- 
mations are  to  be  seen  in  and  around  the  minia- 
ture lake.  Many  small  stalagmites  are  found 
in  the  bottom  of  the  pool,  which  is  quite 
shallow.      By    the    aid    of   the    guide    we    sue- 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  207 

ceeded  in  breaking  off  and  securing  two  or 
three  small  specimens  of  the  stalagmites  from 
the  bottom  of  Lake  Purity. 

The  Gothic  Arcade  terminates  half  a  mile 
beyond  Lake  Purity,  in  a  dome  and  small  cas- 
cade ;  but  visitors  are  rarely  conducted  beyond 
the  lake. 

This  was  the  final  end  of  our  explorations  in 
the  Mammoth  Cave.  We  retraced  our  steps  to 
the  Main  Avenue,  and  wended  our  way  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Cave.  At  the  time  of  our  exit  on 
this  occasion  the  daylight  still  prevailed,  and 
the  bright  sunshine,  besides  being  painful  to  the 
retina,  presented  a  most  singular  appearance  to 
our  temporarily  unaccustomed  sight.  Upon 
reaching  the  entrance,  and  looking  out  from 
behind  the  falling  skein  of  water,  the  trees 
seemed  to  be  illuminated  with  an  unnatural 
fire.  The  daylight  had  a  warm  yellow  hue, 
intensely  bright,  and  the  sky  was  paler,  but 
more  luminous  than  usual.  The  air,  by  con- 
trast with  the  exhilarating  and  pure  atmos- 
phere of  the  Cave,  felt  close,  unpleasantly 
warm,  and  oppressive, — like  that  of  an  ill-ven- 
tilated greenhouse  in  winter.  There  was  too 
much    perfume   in    it, — too   many  varieties   of 


II 


208  THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE. 

vegetable  smells;  for  a  short  absence  in  the 
Cave,  as  before  remarked,  produces  great  acute- 
ness  of  the  olfactory  nerves.  A  few  minutes 
only,  however,  are  required,  after  leaving  the 
Cave,  to  enable  the  senses  of  sight  and  smell  to 
resume  their  normal  conditions. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

SANITARY   INFLUENCES   OF   THE   CAVE. 

Before  quitting  the  Cave,  we  will  refer  to  its 
sanitary  influences.  This  was  an  interesting 
question  some  years  ago.  It  has  been  asked 
what  diseases  are  benefited,  and  what  diseases 
are  aggravated,  by  a  brief  Cave  residence. 

Persons  afflicted  with  pulmonary  consump- 
tion at  one  time  resorted  to  the  Cave  for  the 
benefit  of  its  pure  air  and  uniform  temperature, 
in  the  vain  hope  of  recovery.  Several  of  them 
died  there,  and  all  of  them  succumbed  soon  after 
exposure  to  the  external  air.  One  patient  did 
not  see  the  light  of  the  sun  for  a  period  of  five 
months. 

Several  cottages,  previously  spoken  of,  built 
over  twenty -five  years  ago,  for  the  residence  of 
consumptives,  at  the  entrance  of  Audubon's 
Avenue,  and  within  the  Gothic  Arcade,  are 
still  to  be  seen.  The  idea  that  consumptive 
patients  could  be  cured  by  a  residence  in  the 

18*  ( 209 ) 


210  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

Cave  must  have  resulted  from  a  total  miscon- 
ception of  the  nature  of  the  disea.se,  as  it  is 
well  known  to  the  medical  profession  that  the 
absence  of  light  will  develop  the  scrofulous 
diathesis,  and  cause  a  deposit  of  tubercles  in  the 
lungs. 

The  truth  of  this  position  was  established  in 
the  cases  of  those  who  resorted  to  the  Cave  for 
relief;  and  the  majority  of  those  who  remained 
any  considerable  length  of  time  died  within 
periods  varying  from  three  days  to  three  weeks 
after  leaving  it.  Those  patients  who  remained 
in  the  Cave  three  or  four  months  presented  a 
frightful  appearance.  The  face  was  entirely 
bloodless,  eyes  sunken,  and  pupils  dilated  to 
such  a  degree  that  the  iris  ceased  to  be  visible, 
so  that,  no  matter  what  the  original  color 
of  the  eye  might  have  been,  it  soon  appeared 
black. 

Very  few  diseases,  not  even  consumption,  are 
aggravated  by  short  and  easy  trips  in  the  Cave. 
Chronic  dysentery  and  diarrhoea  are  said  to 
have  been  cured  by  a  short  visit  to  the  Cave, 
after  all  the  usual  remedies  had  failed. 

In  those  diseases  in  which  absolute  silence 
and  the  total  exclusion  of  light  are  indicated, 
the  Cave,  above  all  other  places,  possesses  pre- 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE.  211 

eminent  advantages;  for  nowhere  else  have  we 
these  conditions  combined.  Hence  it  may  be 
inferred  that  brain  affections — abnormal  excite- 
ment of  the  brain,  incipient  insanity,  etc. — would 
undoubtedly  be  benefited  by  a  temporary  Cave 
residence.  But  loractieaUy  we  cannot  assign  any 
sanative  virtues  to  a  residence  in  the  Cave.  Too 
many  conditions  are  absent  that  are  necessary 
for  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  the  patient. 
Dr.  Wright  remarks :  "  The  only  condition  in 
which  risk  is  incurred  is  during  the  menstrual 
period.  Serious,  and  even  fatal,  results  have 
been  the  consequence  of  inattention  to  this  fact." 
No  reason  is  assigned  for  this  assertion,  and  we 
are  unable  to  conjecture  any ;  on  the  contrary, 
one  or  two  instances  have  come  under  our  notice 
where  no  bad  effects  resulted. 

It  is  surprising  how  rapidly  the  quieting  influ- 
ence is  felt  in  the  Cave,  it  being  indicated  by 
pallor  of  the  cheeks,  yawning,  and  an  almost 
irresistible  tendency  to  sleep.  Upon  the  first 
visit  to  the  Cave  this  disposition  is  not  so 
strongly  manifested,  for  the  reason  that  the 
attention  is  so  constantly  attracted  by  the 
novelty  of  the  situation,  and  the  ever-changing 
and  extraordinary  sights.  This  tendency  to 
sleep  is  not  due  to  any  impurity  of  the  atmos- 


212  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

phere, — for,  as  already  stated,  it  contains  less 
carbonic  acid  than  the  outer  air,-r-but  is  refer- 
able solely  to  the  complete  silence  and  total 
absence  of  light. 

Owing  to  the  purity  of  the  atmosphere  and  the 
even  temperature,  even  delicate  persons  are  ena- 
bled to  take  a  much  greater  amount  of  physical 
exercise  in  the  Cave  than  without.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  occurrence  for  an  individual  in  deli- 
cate health  to  accomplish  a  journey  of  eighteen 
or  twenty  miles  in  the  Cave,  without  suffering 
unusually  from  fatigue,  who  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  walk  a  distance  of  three  miles  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth. 

After  having  accomplished  our  first  day's  jour- 
ney in  the  Cave,  we  remarked  to  one  of  the 
gentlemen  connected  with  the  hotel,  that  we 
supposed  ladies  must  suffer  extremely  from 
fatigue  in  going  through  the  Long  Route.  He 
replied  that  such  was  not  the  case;  and  stated 
that,  as  a  general  rule,  ladies  endure  the  journey 
much  better  than  men;  and  added  that  it  was 
not  an  uncommon  occurrence  for  ladies,  after 
coming  out  in  the  evening,  from  a  walk  of 
eighteen  miles,  to  enter  the  ball-room  and  dance 
until  two  o'clock  in  the  morning! 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


PARTING   REFLECTIONS. 


We  now  take  our  leave  of  that  dark,  "mys- 
terious realm,"  a  wiser,  if  not  a  better  man. 

In  the  language  of  Professor  Silliman,  in  the 
same  article  before  quoted  from,  "I  wish  all  my 
scientific  friends  could  visit  the  Mammoth  Cave ; 
it  teaches  many  lessons  in  a  manner  not  to  be 
learned  so  well  elsewhere,  and  in  this  respect  I 
was  agreeably  disappointed.  I  had  heard  that 
its  interest  was  chiefly  scenic;  but  I  found  it 
to  exceed  my  utmost  expectations  as  well  in 
its  illustrations  of  geological  truth  as  in  the 
wonderful  character  of  its  features.  I  will  not 
detain  you,"  he  continues,  "with  any  attempts  at 
description  of  single  parts,  as  no  description  can 
awaken  those  peculiar  and  deep  emotions  which 
a  personal  study  of  its  details  is  calculated  to 
produce." 

In  closing  our  narrative  of  the  Cave  we  can- 
not more  appropriately  conclude  than  by  giving 

(213) 


214  THE   MAMMOTH   CAVE. 

the  farewell  words  of  Bayard  Taylor.  He  ex- 
presses the  same  idea  that  we  gave  to  the  public 
in  a  brief  newspaper  notice  ("  Mobile  Register," 
June,  1867)  immediately  after  our  visit,  and 
before  his  sketch  had  come  under  our  notice, 
and  almost  in  the  same  language.  His  corrobo- 
ration, together  with  that  of  Professor  Silliman, 
gives  additional  weight  to  the  remarks  we  made 
at  that  time  regarding  the  character  and  magni- 
tude of  the  curiosity.     Mr.  Taylor  says  : 

"  Before  taking  a  final  leave  of  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  let  me  assure  those  who  have  followed  me 
through  it,  that  no  description  can  do  justice  to 
its  sublimity,  or  present  a  fair  picture  of  its 
manifold  wonders.  It  is  the  greatest  natural 
curiosity,"  adds  this  great  traveler,  "that  I  have 
ever  visited, — Niagara  not  excepted;  and  he 
whose  expectations  are  not  satisfied  by  its  mar- 
velous avenues,  domes,  and  sparry  grottoes,  must 
either  be  a  fool  or  a  demi-god." 

Whoever  has  seen  a  cascade,  however  diminu- 
tive in  volume,  can  readily  imagine  a  larger  one, 
and  by  a  greater  effort  of  imagination,  may  con- 
ceive of  the  magnitude  of  Niagara ;  but  he  who 
has  not  entered  the  Mammoth  Cave  can  form 
but  faint  conception  of  its  character,  or  of  the 
varied    and  lasting  impressions  produced   upon 


THE    MAMMOTH    CAVE.  215 

the  soul  of  him  who  has  been  wafted  over  its 
beautiful  rivers,  and  whose  spell-bound  steps 
have  traversed  its  dark  labyrinths,  its  vineyards, 
and  its  ever-blooming  floral  bowers.  Such  scenes 
go  with  us  in  after-days,  and  parting  is  truly  a 
"  vain  adieu." 


"  Adieu  to  thee  again  !  a  vain  adieu  ! 
There  can  be  no  farewell  to  scenes  like  thine, — 
The  mind  is  color'd  by  thy  every  hue." 


In  terminating  this  narrative  of  the  Mammoth 
Cave,  which  has  thus  long,  pleasantly  and  agree- 
ably occupied  our  own  thoughts, — and  profitably, 
we  trust,  the  thoughts  of  our  readers, — in  part- 
ing from  those  who  now  "have  traced  the  Pil- 
grim to  the  scene  which  is  his  last,"  in  this  labor 
of  love,  we  cannot,  upon  laying  down  our  pen, 
give  more  fitting  expression  to  our  feelings  than 
in  the  oft-repeated,  and  oft-to-be-repeated  words 
of  the  peerless  Byron, — 

"  Farewell !  a  word  that  must  be,  and  hath  been — 
A  sound  which  makes  us  linger; — yet — farewell !" 


APPENDIX. 


DIAMOND    CAVE. 

Diamond  Cave  is  an  object  of  interest,  and  from  its 
proximity  to  Mammoth  Cave  is  worthy  of  mention  in  this 
connection,  and  should  be  visited  by  all  curiosity-seekers 
who  may  be  attracted  to  the  neighborhood  by  the  great 
cavern,  the  account  of  which  we  have  just  completed. 

This  Cave  is  situated  in  Barren  County  (Ky.),  one  mile 
and  a  half  from  Glasgow  Junction  ("Bell's  Tavern"),  on 
the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad,  and  five  miles  and 
a  half  from  Mammoth  Cave,  being  immediately  on  the 
road  leading  from  the  latter  place  to  Glasgow  Junction. 

The  first  exploration  of  Diamond  Cave,  we  are  informed 
by  its  present  proprietor,  Mr.  John  R.  Proctor,*  was  made 
in  July,  1?59,  by  Dr.  J.  T.  Andrews,  of  Montgomery,  Ala.; 
Prof.  T.  A.  Richardson,  M.D.,  of  New  Orleans;  Theodore 
H.  Lowe,  Esq.,  of  Louisville  ;  Mr.  John  Bell,  proprietor 
of  the  well-known  "  Bell's  Tavern;"  George  Bliss,  Esq., 

*  Since  the  above  has  been  written,  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  P.  that  he 
has  disposed  of  Diamond  Cave  to  his  father,  Mr.  Geo.  M.  Proctor. 

19  (217) 


218  APPENDIX. 

of  New  York;  and  Prof.  C.  W.  Wright,  of  Louisville 
(author  of  the  Guide  Book  of  Mammoth  Ciive). 

Mr.  Proctor  informs  us  that  near  this  Cave  there  is 
another,  rivaling  it  in  beauty,  which  he  explored  in  1866; 
and,  from  the  fact  that  many  of  the  avenues  are  closed 
with  masses  of  stalactites,  he  feels  confident  that  a  com- 
munication can  be  effected  between  the  two.  The  stalac- 
tite and  stalagmite  formations  in  Diamond  Cave  are  more 
numerous  and  far  more  beautiful  than  any  found  in  Mam- 
moth Cave.  An  English  traveler  remarked  that,  after 
many  years'  travel  through  Europe  and  America  in  search 
of  geological  and  other  objects  of  interest,  he  had  not  met 
with  such  a  gem  as  Diamond  Cave. 

The  following  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  principal  objects 
of  interest  to  be  found  in  this  Cave  : 

In  the  Rotunda,  which  is  seventy  feet  in  diameter  and 
thirty  feet  high,  are  to  be  seen  Cleopatra's  Needle,  a  sta- 
lagmite, five  feet  high  and  six  inches  in  diameter,  incrusted 
with  the  oxide  of  iron  ;  Serpent's  Head,  directly  over  the 
Needle,  five  feet  in  length,  depending  from  the  ceiling,  and 
bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  head  of  a  large 
snake,  with  its  mouth  open;  Closed  Lily  is  suspended 
from  the  ceiling,  and  closely  resembles  the  flower  after 
which  it  is  named :  it  is  eight  feet  long  and  two  feet  in 
diameter ;  Elfin's  Grotto  is  a  lovely  alcove,  fifteen  feet 
above  the  floor  of  the  Rotunda,  the  entrance  of  which  is 
ornamented  with  beautiful  stalagmites  and  stalactites :  the 
crystallizations  within   assume  every  imaginable    shape. 


APPENDIX.  219 

among  which  can  be  seen  a  perfect  resemblance  to  a  cas- 
cade ;  Mammoth  Stalagmite  is  eighteen  feet  high  and  sev- 
enty feet  in  circumference  at  its  base,  being  by  far  the 
largest  stalagmite  known  in  the  world. 

It  is  stated  that  here,  as  in  other  caves,  human  bones 
were  found  in  abundance  at  the  base  of  the  Armadillo,  or 
Fallen  Tree.  They  are  said  to  have  been  discovered  by 
Dr.  Andrews,  and  that  many  were  incrusted  with  the 
carbonate  of  lime. 

After  leaving  the  Rotunda  we  enter  Lowe's  Avenue, 
which  varies  from  six  to  forty  feet  in  height  and  from  ten 
to  forty  in  width.  In  this  avenue  are  to  be  seen  Stella 
Grotto,  Vermiculated  Ceiling,  and  many  other  objects  of 
interest  and  beauty.  After  leaving  the  avenue  we  come 
to  Andrews'  Cascade,  which  is,  without  doubt,  the  most 
singularly  beautiful  formation  of  the  kind  ever  discovered, 
exhibiting,  when  viewed  from  its  base,  a  perfect  resem- 
blance to  a  water-fall,  twenty-eight  feet  in  height  and 
eighteen  feet  wide. 

In  Wright's  Avenue,  which  extends  from  the  Cascade  to 
Diamond  Grotto,  are  many  tubular  stalactites,  which  emit 
musical  sounds  when  struck.  Beyond  Cascade  Hall  is 
seen  the  Magnolia  Flower,  a  colossal  flower  six  feet  long 
and  four  feet  in  diameter,  suspended  twenty  feet  above  the 
floor.  It  is  composed  of  stalactitic  plates  of  calcareous 
spar,  and  presents  a  perfect  resemblance  in  form  to  the 
grande  Jieur  of  the  Southern  States.  There  are  other 
formations  near  this  of  like  character ;  and  near  the  Co- 


220  APPENDIX. 

lumbian  Column  there  is  a  perfect  representation  of  an 
immense  Chandelier.  From  here  a  spar  pavement  extends, 
with  slight  interruptions,  to  the  end  of  the  Cav^e.  It  is 
composed  of  crystals  of  calcareous  spar,  which  sparkle 
with  great  brilliancy  as  the  lamps  are  moved  to  and  fro 
above  them.  Next  comes  +he  Oriental  Crystal  Fans. 
From  here  to  Fink's  Acute  Angle  the  avenue  is  really 
grand,  having  the  appearance  of  white  chalk  cliffs. 

Talia's  Grotto  is  entered  on  the  left  of  this  avenue 
opposite  the  Atlantic  Steamer.  This  is  regarded  as  the 
most  beautiful  grotto  in  the  world.  The  stalactites  here 
are  of  the  purest  white,  and  rival  in  beautiful  symmetry 
the  finest  Grecian  carving.  The  Curtain  Stalactite  hangs 
upon  the  walls,  which,  from  their  peculiar  tint,  are  called 
Blush  Walls.  It  extends  from  the  ceiling  to  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  floor,  and  is  so  translucent  that,  by  holding  a 
light  on  the  opposite  side,  the  examiner  can  see  through 
it.     When  struck  it  emits  musical  sounds. 

The  Pope  is  a  stalagmite  about  ten  feet  in  height  and 
five  feet  in  diameter  at  its  base.  It  is  composed  of  light 
stalagmitic  marble,  the  surface  of  which  reflects  with 
great  distinctness. 

The  Curtain  Galleries  and  General  Scott's  Marquee 
cannot  be  excelled  in  beauty.  Immediately  to  the  left 
of  the  latter  there  is  a  miniature  representation  of  Ni- 
agara Falls  in  winter. 

Columbian  Column  is  thirty  feet  high  and  ten  feet  in 
diameter  at  its  base.     It  is  most  beautifully  ornamented 


APPENDIX.  *        221 

with  fluted  columns,  ogees,  cornices,  and  mouldings ;  and 
the  entire  surface  displays  innumerable  crystals  which 
sparkle  on  the  approach  of  light  like  countless  diamonds. 
We  scarcely  have  any  hesitation  in  saying  that  this  par- 
ticular point  exhibits  the  most  wonderfully  beautiful 
formations  of  any  to  be  found  elsewhere;  and  this  view, 
of  itself,  will  more  than  repay  the  visitor  for  the  time 
occupied  in  exploring  Diamond  Cave. 

To  the  left  of  the  Column  is  a  collection  of  water  called 
the  Fountain  of  Orpheus.  Bunker  Hill  Monument  is  a 
stalactite  six  feet  high  and  six  inches  in  diameter.  Coral 
Pillar  is  a  stalagmite  four  feet  high  and  four  inches  in 
diameter,  the  surface  of  which  is  studded  with  little 
prominences  resembling  madrepore  coral.  A  number 
of  columns,  similarly  incrusted,  are  to  be  seen  under 
the  base  of  Columbian  Column. 

Eviscerated  Body  is  to  the  left  of  the  steps  leading  to 
Lover's  Bower.  When  light  is  transmitted  through  it, 
it  is  a  perfect  representation  of  the  body  of  a  man  from 
which  the  lungs  have  been  removed. 

Ameda  Grotto  has  within  it  a  pool  of  water  lined  with 
crystals,  and  encircled  with  stalagmitic  formations.  The 
stalactites  in  this  grotto  are  of  delicate  form  and  of  great 
variety. 

Lot's  Wife  is  a  stalagmite  four  feet  high,  representing 
a  figure  draped  in  white.  There  is  also  to  be  found  here 
an  excellent  representation  of  a  Church  Organ. 

19* 


222  APPENDIX. 

Diamond  Grotto  is  twentj-five  feet  in  diameter  and 
eight  feet  in  height.  The  floor  is  covered  with  crystalline 
plates  of  calcareous  spar,  which  sparkle  with  a  brilliancy 
almost  rivaling  the  gem  for  which  the  Cave  is  named. 
The  ceiling  is  vermiculated,  like  the  ceiling  in  Lowe's 
Avenue. 

Among  other  places  of  interest  in  this  beautiful  Cave 
may  be  mentioned  Bell's  Spring,  The  Grand  Retreat, 
Nettie's  Palace,  Mason  Grotto,  etc.,  which  cannot  here  be 
more  fully  described. 

All  who  visit  Mammoth  Cave  should,  before  leaving 
the  neighborhood,  see  the  beauties  of  Diamond  Cave. 


PEOOTOR'S  CAVE. 


Proctor's  Cave,  the  property  of  Mr.  L.  J.  Proctor, 
is  quite  as  remarkable  for  its  beauty  as  Diamond  Cave ; 
and  as  our  object  is  to  give  information  to  those  desiring 
it,  not  only  in  relation  to  Mammoth  Cave,  but  regarding 
the  important  curiosities  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  our 
work  would  be  incomplete  without  a  special  notice  of 
Proctor's  Cave. 

This  Cave  is  situated  three  miles  from  Mammoth  Cave, 
and  four  miles  from  Glasgow  Station,  on  the  Louisville 
&  Nashville  Railroad.    The  picturesque  scenery  surround- 


APPENDIX.  223 

ing  the  entrance  of  this  Cave  ;  the  wonderful  succession  of 
domes, — many  of  which  are  viewed  from  the  base ;  the 
endless  variety  of  stalactite  and  stalagmite  formations,  all 
contribute  toward  rendering  a  visit  peculiarly  attractive 
and  interesting.  Some  even  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  there 
is  not  another  Cave  on  this  continent  in  which  there  is 
such  a  magnificent  display  of  the  chemical  and  mechan- 
ical action  of  water.  The  gypsum  formations,  such  as 
rosettes,  fibers,  etc.,  are  not  less  attractive.  Dr.  Wright 
tells  us  that  the  largest  dome  to  be  found  in  any  Cave  is 
to  be  found  in  Proctor's  Cave.  "It  is  at  least  three 
times  as  wide  and  long  as  Mammoth  Dome  in  Mammoth 
Cave,  and  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  in 
height.  The  Curtain  Dome  is  not  less  wonderful.  Vast 
sheets  of  stalactite,  yards  in  length  and  less  than  an  inch 
in  thickness,  are  arranged  in  the  form  of  curtains,  scrolls, 
etc.  in  endless  variety." 

Mammoth  Cave  is  deficient  only  in  stalactite  forma- 
tions. A  visit  to  Proctor's  and  Diamond  Caves  renders 
cave-knowledge  and  experience  complete. 

About  three  miles  of  this  cave  is  now  open  to  the 
public,  through  the  greater  part  of  which  there  is  a  sub- 
stantial plank  walk. 

In  a  recent  letter  from  Mr.  Proctor  to  the  author,  he 
remarks,  in  speaking  of  this  Cave,  "I  am  constantly 
making  new  discoveries  in  this  Cave;  among  others  a 
large   river,   as   yet   inaccessible   to   visitors,   and    many 


224  APPENDIX. 

beautiful  domes  and  grottoes  ;  and  the  probabilities  are 
that  it  will  prove  to  be  a  very  large,  as  welU  as  a  beauti- 
ful Cave." 

Glasgow  Station  is  the  site  of  what  was  for  many  years 
renowned  as  "Bell's  Tavern,"  the  stopping-place  hereto- 
fore for  all  Cave  visitors  ;  and  was  noted  as  being  kept  in 
a  style  superior  to  any  country  hotel  in  America.  This 
building  was  burned  in  1860 ;  and  hence  Cave  City  took 
the  start.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Proctor, 
of  Proctor's  Cave,  who  is  also  the  proprietor  of  the  Mam- 
moth Cave  Hotel.  He  has  a  comfortable-sized  hotel  now  at 
Glasgow  Junction,  equal  in  capacity  to  the  hotel  at  Cave 
City ;  and  he  informs  us  that  he  has  laid  the  foundations 
of  a  fir.st-class  stone  hotel,  and  has  the  basement  and 
second  stories  already  up.  The  size  is  one  hundred  and 
twenty  by  sixty  feet ;  it  is  to  have  sixty  rooms,  and  will 
be  completed  during  the  present  year  (1870).  Mr.  Proc- 
tor promises  to  sustain  the  ancient  reputation  of  "Bell's 
Tavern." 

For  the  still  further  accommodation  of  Cave  visitors, 
Mr.  Proctor  informs  us  that  a  cha-i-ter  for  a  railroad  has 
been  granted  from  Glasgow  Junction  to  Brownsville,  the 
county-seat,  and  thence  to  intersect  with  the  Elizabeth- 
town  &  Paducah  Railroad,  which  will  pass  directly  by 
Diamond  Cave,  and  Proctor's  Cave,  and  within  two  and 
a  half  miles  of  Mammoth  Cave.  This  road  is  expected 
to  be  completed  about  the  middle  of  1871.     At  present 


APPENDIX.  225 

stage-coaches  run  from  Glasgow  Station  to  Mammoth 
Cave,  stopping  at  Diamond  and  Proctor's  Caves,  at  a 
charge  of  one  dollar  per  passenger. 

Thus  it  will  appear  that,  by  this  arrangement,  visitors 
have  offered  to  them  the  very  desirable  opportunity  of 
seeing  these  three  remarkable  Caves  with  but  little  addi- 
tional cost  of  time  or  money  over  that  usually  required 
in  visiting  the  Mammoth  Cave. 


THE  END. 


Mammoth  Cave. 


-?^^S3- 


DuRiNG  THE  Summer  Season  the 


AA/'ILL  ISSUE  EXCURSION  TICKETS 

FROM    THE    FOLLOWING    POINTS 

TO    :vc  j^  nvn  ny:  o  T  h:    o^^ve 

AND    RETURN     AT 

GREATLY  REDUCED  RATES: 

MEW  romm^         ^mm^MME^prnMs 

'^9 


\MBB&Mm 


Excursionists  selecting  this  route  pass  through  the  finest  farming 
land  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  through  the  beautiful  valley  of  the 
Juniata  Eiver,  and  cross  the  Alleghany  Mountains  at  a  height  of 
2200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  No  other  route  affords  the 
tourist  the  same  variety  of  river  and  mountain  scenery. 


HENRY  W.  GWINNER, 

General  Passenger  and  Ticket  Agent 


A.  J.  CASSATT, 

General  Superintendent. 


3  1205  00476  6935 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

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